Sixteen and Counting: an M17 presentation by BigJdotcom01

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The NFL Free Agency period opened and the Buffalo Bills made a couple of minor moves, signing defensive end Jonathan Bullard, center Zach Fulton, and free safety Antonio Allen. Bullard, the 24-year old former Chicago Bear, had 31 tackles and five sacks in 2017. He signed a three year deal for $7.8M with a $2.43M signing bonus. Allen is a 29-year old former New York Jet. He had 60 tackles and an interception for New York in 2017. Fulton is a 26-year old former Kansas City Chief.

Around the league, the Buccaneers made a big splash, signing free agent defensive end Sheldon Richardson away from the Jets for 5-years and $53.5M. Former Dolphin Jarvis Landry is heading to the NFC North as he signed with the Detroit Lions agreeing to a 4-year deal worth $42.5M. 39-year-old Drew Brees has left New Orleans, signing with Cleveland. It was a one-year deal worth $22M. Adrian Peterson will join Brees in Cleveland, signing a two-year, $20.3M deal to join the Browns.

RG Gabe Jackson of the Raiders signed with Arizona, inking a 4-year deal worth $31.5M. He was the top-rated free agent offensive lineman.
QB Jimmy Clausen of the Chargers signed a one-year deal with the Jets worth $830k.
CB Bene Benwikere of the Dolphins signed a four-year deal to join the Lions. It was worth $25.3M.
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins leaves the Jets for Arizona. He signed a four-year, $24.4M deal.
OLB Devon Kennard is joining Kansas City from the Giants on a four-year deal worth $27.6M.
OLB Jeremiah Attaochu is leaving the Chargers and also heading to Detroit. He signed a five-year, $41.4M deal.
WR Jermaine Kearse is leaving the champion Seahawks and heading to Tampa on a four-year deal worth $29.6M.

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The Bills got the NFL Draft going by moving CB Stephon Gilmore. They sent him to Indianapolis, along with a fourth round draft pick (121st overall) in return for WR Phillip Dorsett and the Colts second round pick in the 2018 draft (52nd overall). The Bills just signed him to a four-year deal worth $42.9M, but have Ronald Darby's contract up at the end of the 2018 season. The Colts were in need of a corner and pulled the trigger on the deal. Dorsett is in the final year of his contract and figures to be used in four-receiver sets and the return game for the Bills.

Buffalo trades 2nd round pick (57) to Seattle for 2018 2nd round pick (64) and 2018 4th round pick (128).
San Diego trades 2nd round pick (62) to New Orleans for 2018 4th round pick (114), 2018 7th round pick (206) and 2019 2nd round pick (51).
Buffalo trades 2nd round pick (64) to Chicago for 2018 3rd round pick (83) and 2019 3rd round pick (66).
Tampa Bay trades 3rd round pick (79) to Chicago for 2018 6th round pick (179) and 2019 2nd round pick (58).
Washington trades 3rd round pick (90) to Cleveland for 2018 4th round pick (102) and 2019 6th round pick (164).
Denver trades 3rd round pick (92) to Washington for 2018 4th round pick (102) and 2019 6th round pick (164).
Seattle trades 3rd round pick (96) to Dallas for 2018 4th round pick (107) and 2019 6th round pick (169).
Oakland trades 4th round pick (108) to Chicago for 2018 4th round pick (115) and 2019 6th round pick (186).
Tampa Bay trades 4th round pick (111) to Dallas for 2019 3rd round pick (73) and 2019 7th round pick (201).
Detroit trades 4th round pick (116) to Denver for 2018 4th round pick (124) and 2019 7th round pick (221).
Cincinnati trades 4th round pick (117) to Buffalo for 2018 4th round pick (128) and 2018 7th round pick (203).
Detroit trades 4th round pick (124) to Chicago for 2018 5th round pick (147) and 2019 7th round pick (208).
Washington trades 2018 5th round pick (136) to Cleveland for 2018 6th round pick (166) and 2019 7th round pick (196).
Indianapolis trades 5th round pick (148) to Denver for 2019 3rd round pick (87).
Cincinnati trades 5th round pick (152) to Carolina for 2019 3rd round pick (82).
New England trades 6th round pick (174) to Atlanta for 2018 7th round pick (201) and 2019 7th round pick (219).
Indianapolis trades 6th round pick (180) to New England for 2018 7th round pick (201) and 2019 7th round pick (219).
Cincinnati trades 7th round pick (200) to New Orelans for 2018 7th round pick (210).
Indianapolis trades 7th round pick (201) to New Orleans for 2019 4th round pick (115).
Tampa Bay trades 7th round pick (209) to Cincinnati for 2018 7th round pick (210).

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The Bills had a decent 2018 draft. Overall, it was thin at positions that the Bills had priorities at. The Bills also added some undrafted free agents to the roster in FB Patrick Troupe from Oklahoma, DT Jaquese Sears from Ohio State, CB Rashaud Givens from Connecticut, and MLB Malik Roth from Tennessee.

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The NFL released the 2018 schedule and the Bills will open up with three straight home games. They will appear in five primetime games including four Sunday Night Football games on NBC, and one Monday Night Football game on ESPN on the road in Green Bay. The Bills will open up against the Chicago Bears and close the season on the road at Indianapolis.

The Bills host New England in week two, and travel to Foxboro in week 11. They wrap up AFC East play on December 2nd when they travel to New York to take on the Jets. The Bills will close the schedule playing four of their final five games on the road.

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2018 PRESEASON RESULTS
Week #1: W 37-31 vs. Cowboys
Week #2: W 14-10 @ Jaguars
Week #3: L 21-42 vs. Seahawks
Week #4: L 29035 @ Saints

The Bills ended the preseason at (2-2), but the big news is the injury to Sammy Watkins. The Bills superstar wideout broke his arm in a week three loss to Seattle and will miss the first three games of the regular season. That leaves Robert Woods and Logan Holman as the Bills starting wideouts.

The Bills made their final cuts and it was not good news for a number of 2018 draft picks. The Bills cut wideout Keith Kaiser, as well as veteran wideouts J.J. Nelson, Marcus Easley and Tevaun Smith. Cornerbacks Eric Mallard and rookies Malik DeLoach, and Kethen Wyche were waived.

The Bills have some new faces in the starting lineup on opening day from 2017. Fullback Patrick Troupe, the rookie out of Oklahoma replaces Glen Gronkowski. Logan Holman slides into the #2 receiver spot with Watkins out for the first few weeks. Scott SMiley takes over at left guard for the retired Richie Incognito. Patrick Lewis moves back to center with the departure of Eric Woods. John Miller returns to the starting spot at right guard with Lewis moving over to center. Undrafted rookie free agent Rashaud Givens is starting at corner opposite of Ronald Darby. The Bills will go with another rookie at nickel back as Haile Bozeman fills that role.

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Week #1 Preview: Bills v. Bears
Site: Wegmans Field, Buffalo (72,000)
History (since 2016): First Meeting


BEARS (0-0, 0-0):
The Bears are still led by the wiley veteran quarterback Jay Cutler, although they drafted his eventual replacement this spring in Case Wand, out of Tennessee. Diminutive Tre Mason is the Bears top running back with Alshon Jeffrey and Kevin White their top wideouts.

Outside linebacker Pernell McPhee is the Bears best defensive player. Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman lead a solid core of linebackers for a team that finished 2017 at (10-6), but missed the playoffs.

First round pick, right tackle Tevita Bobo will make his debut on Sunday afternoon.



Bills (0-0, 0-0):

Sammy Watkins will miss the first three weeks with a broken forearm. Logan Holman will get his first NFL start at wide receiver. The Bills have three new starters on the offensive line so it will be interesting to see how the running game responds.

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2018 SEASON - WEEK 1

BEARS MAKE STATEMENT
Chicago Gets Off on Right Foot With Big Road Win!

Tre Mason had a big day for the Bears, diving for the score in the first.

9/9/18
Buffalo, NY (AP) - The Chicago Bears came into Wegmans Field with a chip on their shoulder after winning 10 games in 2017 and missing the playoffs. On Sunday afternoon, the Bears took out one of those playoff teams as they defeated the Buffalo Bills in rather convincing fashion, 27-20. Tre Mason ran for 139 yards and a score to help the Bears to the victory.

LeSean McCoy was held in check most of the day, as the Bills dropped their opener at home.

Chicago finished 2017 in a three way tie for first place in the NFC North at (10-6) with Detroit and Green Bay, but the Bears missed the playoffs, due to tie-breakers. They are determined not to let that happen again in 2018.

The Bears grabbed a quick 7-0 lead as they went 47 yards in just five plays on their opening possession. A 15-yard roughing the passer call that went against Shaq Lawson helped out. Tre Mason capped off the drive with a five yard run right up the middle just 2:24 into the season. Chicago would make it 10-0 late in the first as Shaun Suisham hit from 31 yards out. That drive was setup by a Tyrod Taylor strip sack fumble that gave the Bears the ball at the Buffalo 23 yard line.

Shady McCoy would get the Bills going as the first quarter wound down.. He scored on a nine yard run in the dying moments of the quarter to cut the Bears lead to 10-7.

A second Shaun Suisham field goal, this one from 52 yards out, gave the Bears a 13-7 lead. They would extend that lead to 20-7 following another Tyrod Taylor fumble. This time he was stripped at the end of an 18 yard run. Kyle Fuller stripped the ball and Adrian Amos recovered at the Buffalo 43. Three play later, Jay Cutler hooked up with Devin Smith on a 37 yard catch and run for the score.

Buffalo would creep a bit closer late in the half. The Bears stopped the Bills on a first and goal from the three yard line, with the Bills settling for a 19 yard Dan Carpenter field goal, cutting the Bears lead to 10 at the half.

Dan Carpenter's second field goal on the afternoon, a 41 yarder, was the only scoring in the third quarter. It capped off a 13-play, 45 yard drive that took almost seven minutes off of the clock.

Ka'Deem Carey would put this one away midway through the fourth. He capped off a 10-play, 59 yard drive with a three yard run to put Chicago up 27-13. The big news on the drive was the loss of linebacker Preston Brown, who left with an apparent shoulder injury.

The Bills would get a Tyrod Taylor six-yard touchdown pass to Logan Holman with three minutes left in regulation to pull to within seven. The defense then stopped the Bears, forcing a punt. The Bills took over at their own 18 yard line with 1:47 left. But the drive ended with a Will Hill interception on a deep throw down the right sideline, intended for Logan Holman.

Holman had a nice day, getting his first NFL start in place of the injured Sammy Watkins. He caught six passes for 63 yards to lead the Bills.

Up next for the Bills is a visit from the Patriots, big winners over the Dolphins on opening weekend.

Notes: Preston Brown suffered a torn shoulder muscle and he will miss at least three weeks.

Leaders:
Passing: Tyrod Taylor (BUF): 23-38 308 yds, TD, INT; Jay Cutler (CHI): 19-25 242 yds, TD
Rushing: Tre Mason (CHI): 32 car 139 yds, TD; LeSean McCoy (BUF): 16 car, 55 yds, TD
Receiving: Logan Holman (BUF): 6 rec, 63 yds, TD; Devin Smith (CHI): 6 rec, 67 yds, TD

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Week #1 Scores:
Jets 28, Titans 9
Chiefs 31, Steelers 24
Bengals 28, Raiders 3
Colts 34, Texans 28
Redskins 34, Cowboys 31
Patriots 24, Dolphins 6
Ravens 10, Falcons 6
Cardinals 30, Saints 23
Eagles 21, Jaguars 14
Broncos 31, Seahawks 17
Rams 17, Vikings 10
Giants 52, 49ers 10
Packers 38, Lions 17 (Sunday Night)
Buccaneers 38, Panthers 20 (Monday Night)
Browns 21, Chargers 20 ((Monday Night)

Players of the Week:
AFC Offense: Andrew Luck (QB, IND): 21-33 280 yds, 3 TD
AFC Defense: Khalil Mack (DE, OAK): 13 tackles, 3 sacks
NFC Offense: Aaron Rodgers (QB, GB): 25-35 260 yds, 4 TD
NFC Defense: Lamarr Houston (OLB, LA): 8 tackles 3 sacks