Buffalo Bills vs. Atlanta Falcons: Here's what McDermott, players are saying

The Buffalo Bills have turned the page on last week’s huge victory over the New England Patriots and - to borrow a famous phrase from Bill Belichick - they are on to the Atlanta Falcons.

On Wednesday, the team went through a walk-through practice, something that coach Sean McDermott has done the past couple weeks as a way to give the players extra rest late in the season.

They will have full practices Thursday and Friday for a game where they have been installed as a 13.5-point favorite.

This is what’s going on this week from One Bills Drive:

Josh Allen named Art Rooney Sportsmanship finalist

The league announced the eight finalists for the annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award which is presented each year to an NFL player who best demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition.

The other players on the list as wide receiver Brandin Cooks of the Texans, safety Jason McCourty of the Dolphins, wide receiver Matthew Slater of the Patriots, linebacker Lavonte David of the Buccaneers, defensive Cameron Jordan of the Saints, fullback Kyle Juszczyk of the 49ers and wide receiver Adam Theielen of the Vikings.

A panel of former players from the NFL Legends Community selected the eight finalists from the 32 NFL club nominees. The panel is comprised of Warrick Dunn, Larry Fitzgerald, Curtis Martin and Leonard Wheeler.

“I’ve had the honor of competing with many of the nominees on the list,” Fitzgerald said. “More importantly, I’ve had the blessing of knowing and building relationships with several of them off the field. The legacy of Mr. Rooney lives on through these men. They represent teamwork, competitiveness, hard work, optimism, and integrity. Congratulations to each of the nominees for this year’s Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.”

The award was created in 2014 in honor of the late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Rooney, Sr.

As of Thursday, Bills are free of COVID

After a mini outbreak moved through their facility the past two weeks, the Bills now have no players currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Before practice Thursday, offensive lineman Cody Ford and cornerback Cam Lewis were both activated, bringing the roster back to whole. Lewis had just gone on the list Monday, while Ford went on it last Friday.

Though it’s uncertain what their game status will be, the players would be able to face the Atlanta Falcons if called upon.

Old friends Lee Smith, Matt Barkley will be back in Buffalo

One of the most popular players in recent memory at One Bills Drive was Smith, the blocking tight end who had two separate stints in Buffalo.

Originally a 2011 draft pick of the Patriots, he was cut and signed with the Bills that season and spent the first four years of his career playing first for Chan Gailey and then for Doug Marrone.

He went to the Raiders in free agency in 2015 and played four years, then returned to Buffalo under Sean McDermott for 2019 and 2020 before signing with the Falcons in the offseason. Smith was acknowledged as a great teammate, and he was also a productive blocker who occasionally caught some passes (28 for 210 yards and six TDs as a Bill).

“He’s made a mark on this organization with two different stints with the Bills,” McDermott said. “He was a very well-liked guy in our building here and really appreciated his leadership that he gave us when I was here. Always nice to see players go on and do great things and it seems like just from the film that I’ve watched on him that he’s getting quite a bit of playing time. I know he’s closer to home as well down there which is always good to hear.”

This year, Smith has played 296 snaps on offense, the bulk of that as a run blocker, but he also has nine catches for 65 yards and a TD.

As for Barkley, the Falcons claimed the quarterback off the waiver wire Wednesday after they were forced to place backup quarterback Felipe Franks on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

After Barkley left Buffalo after 2020, he has spent time with the Titans and Panthers before joining the Falcons. He was on Carolina’s COVID list when the Panthers were in Buffalo a couple weeks ago. He was released Tuesday.

The other backup quarterback to Matt Ryan is Josh Rosen who was taken three picks after the Bills selected Josh Allen in 2018 by the Cardinals and has yet to make a dent in his NFL career, having bounced from Arizona to Miami to Atlanta.

DT Eli Ankou has been a surprise for Bills

The anticipation is that Star Lotulelei will be back Sunday, though this year, nothing is a given. However, the truth is that the Bills really haven’t missed the one-tech defensive tackle given how well Harrison Phillips has played, and how well Ankou has been able to step in and take reps without the defense falling off.

Ankou, a native of Canada, was an undrafted player out of UCLA in 2017 who has bounced around from the Jaguars to the Cowboys to the Browns to the Titans to the Colts to the Texans to the Falcons and now to the Bills. Did you get all that?

He was signed to the practice squad and got the elevation to the 53-man roster in late November and has been active for four of the last five games. He recorded his first Buffalo sack against Tom Brady in Tampa Bay and has been on the field for 75 snaps.

“I think one of the plusses for us as a staff is he has some skin on the walls, he’s played the games, he’s been in situations similar to the one we’re in now, battling and fighting, trying to help a team get into the playoffs,” said defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.

“And then, when he’s on the field, because of his experience, he’s able to make some things happen for us. He gave us great push in the middle (last week) which we needed from our inside guys to try to get the quarterback off his spot. And he’s done that when he’s had a chance to play for us – even the New Orleans game, the Tampa game, being able to get push up the middle, because he’s such a strong, forceful guy.”

Stefon Diggs knows all about Cordarelle Patterson

Perhaps the most dangerous weapon for the Atlanta offense is triple threat runner/receiver/returner Cordarelle Patterson, and Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs knows more about him than any other member on the team.

Patterson was a first-round draft choice of the Vikings in 2013, and Diggs came to Minnesota as a fifth-round pick in 2015. They were teammates for two years before Patterson went to the Raiders in free agency prior to 2017.

“He’s probably the most talented person I’ve ever seen with the ball in his hand besides Adrian Peterson,” Diggs said. “He’s up there – in my opinion because I played with him – with guys like Dalvin Cook and even those running backs. He’s like 6-2, 225 but he looks a little stronger than that. Our old coach, George Stewart, our receivers coach, used to say he’s too strong, too fast and too big. He’s one of those guys that’s extremely talented, can play all around the field and really just a generational talent.”

Patterson has also played for the Patriots and Bears, mainly because all of these teams have struggled to figure out how best to use him. This year, his first with Atlanta, new Falcons head coach Arthur Smith has figured it out and Patterson leads the team in rushing with 579 yards, is third in receptions with 49 for another 523 yards, has 411 kickoff return yards, and has 11 touchdowns.

Why did it take so long for someone to figure out how to use him, Diggs was asked?

“I think it’s because he can do so many things,” Diggs said. “You really see him flourish as a kick returner when the ball’s instantly in his hands and he gets to do it how he wants to do it. In these new offenses, especially this year, you see a lot of guys play receiver who are explosive enough that you put the ball in their hands out of the backfield, they’re going to make it happen.

“He played a little bit of running back – he played some running back in Minnesota and he played some running back in New England. It kind of got the ball rolling where they can put him anywhere on the field. I feel like it’s him being paired up with the right offense and him having opportunities as well.”

McDermott reflects on passing of John Madden

The NFL lost one of its most influential figures when the former coach of the Oakland Raiders, and long-time television analyst John Madden died Tuesday night at the age of 85.

Madden was a legendary coach despite staying in the position for only 10 seasons, all with the Raiders, during a time in the NFL when Oakland was one of the most consistent and famous teams in the league.

Madden’s coaching record was 103-32-7, a 76.7 winning percentage, and he won the AFC West seven times He was also 9-7 in the postseason and his 1976 team won Super Bowl 11.

“Just wanted to express our sympathies and condolences to the family of John Madden,” McDermott said at the top of his Zoom press conference. “A true ambassador of the NFL. And when you look up the word coach in the dictionary, I think that’s what you would find is a picture of John Madden, a guy that did it right.

“I had a chance to meet him in the earlier stages of my career here in this league. And I know he had big-time relationships with the two head coaches I’ve been with prior to coming here (Andy Reid and Ron Rivera). I just want to let his family know that we’re thinking of them. It’s a loss, obviously, and an unfortunate situation.”

It’s unlikely that McDermott ever had much interest in playing the mega-hit Madden football game, but quarterback Josh Allen - like many football fans his age - grew up with the game.

“I mean, everyone's talking about the Madden Game,” Allen said. “That's how I learned football playing, that game as a kid, learning the rules, learning the penalties. So that game has had a huge impact on me. And you know, my heart goes out to his family because he affected so many people throughout his life for the better and he was one of the good ones.”

Changing COVID-19 protocols benefit Bills

The team got some good news Wednesday morning as they were able to activate four players off the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Wide receivers Cole Beasley, and Gabriel Davis, offensive lineman Jon Feliciano and A.J. Epenesa will all be available to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

In the case of Feliciano, his 10-day quarantine period is up, but the other three were all inside that window and it appears the decision by the Center for Disease Control on Tuesday to reduce the quarantine period for asymptomatic people from 10 days to five may have enabled them to get activated.

Sean McDermott wouldn’t confirm that officially, he just simply stated that the players were back in the building. Also, defensive tackle Star Lotulelei has also returned after missing all of last week with what was described as a personal matter.

“Not going to be too detailed on individuals and who would have (been eligible) and who wouldn’t have, but overall just a general yes in terms of the change in the protocols,” McDermott said.

As of lunch time, there were no new additions to the Bills’ COVID list, meaning the only two players still on it are offensive guard Cody Ford and cornerback Cam Lewis. McDermott said the team continues to do all it can to try to prevent an outbreak.

“We’ve taken about as many precaution precautions as you can take,” he said. “We’ve been virtual really as of two weeks ago. So other than that, as I said last week, I’m not sure what else you can do. Really, the guys are only in for the most part for practice time other than treatments for those needed.”

Sal Maiorana can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills vs Atlanta Falcons: What McDermott, players are saying