Here's the Bills news of note for Dec. 12th.
1 - McCoy still produces
Another game, another opportunity for LeSean McCoy to rewrite some personal and team records.
Despite being bottled up in the run game, McCoy made his impact elsewhere and still found a way to get 108 all-purpose yards for the game.
The Steelers held McCoy to 12 carries for 27 yards on Sunday, but he led the Bills in receiving with six catches for 81 yards. McCoy had a 41-yard catch in the fourth quarter, which was the team's longest play of the game.
He cashed in for a three-yard touchdown to bring the Bills within a touchdown with under two minutes to play. It was McCoy's fourth touchdown in his last four games, which brought him to 10 on the season. He became the first Bill with 10 rushing touchdowns in a season since Willis McGahee had 13 in 2004.
It is the second time McCoy has reached that plateau in his career, the first coming in 2011 when he led the league in rushing touchdowns with 17.
He is now one of only four active running backs that have 70 or more career touchdowns.
2 - Considering other QB options?
Rex Ryan appeared to leave the door open at his press conference on Sunday that a change could be made at quarterback going forward.
Although Tyrod Taylor finished the game with 228 yards, he never found a groove in the first half and got most of his yardage with the Bills already too far behind.
All of the blame can't be placed squarely on Taylor's shoulders, as he had very little time to throw in the first half. The Steelers took down Taylor four times in the first 30 minutes.
Still, Taylor missed some throws in the second half and threw an interception after the Bills forced a turnover in the fourth quarter.
All of that has led to Ryan being non-committal on who will get the starting nod next week against the Cleveland Browns.
When asked if Taylor would be the starter, Ryan said, "We'll see."
Running back LeSean McCoy came to the defense of his teammate of two years after the game.
"I love my quarterback," McCoy said. "I think he is a hell of a player, a good leader and an amazing athlete. However they work that out that is what they do. I know in this game the quarterback takes all the praise, and all the blame. I know he will get all the blame for this loss, but it wasn't just him."
The Bills have E.J. Manuel next up on the depth chart, and rookie Cardale Jones also waiting in the wings.
"I'll do whatever I think's best for the team," Ryan said.
**3 - Takeaways reappear
**
The Bills came into Sunday's game with only eight interceptions on the season, but picked off Ben Roethlisberger three times to help them stay in the game against the Steelers.
Lorenzo Alexander had the first one in the first quarter, intercepting Roethlisberger in the red zone and returning it 28 yards. It was Roethlisberger's first interception in his last 136 red zone pass attempts.
Alexander added to his breakout season, nabbing his first career interception in his 140th NFL game.
Gilmore's pick in the second quarter was his fifth of this season, which matches the most interceptions by a Bill since Jarius Byrd has five in 2012.
Gilmore set the Bills up in solid field position with the grab and Taylor threw a seven-yard touchdown to Sammy Watkins three plays later. He now has 135 return yards off of those interceptions, averaging 27 yards.
That touchdown by Watkins was the only points the Bills could manage off of Pittsburgh's turnovers.
Roethlisberger's last interception to Zach Brown in the end zone in the fourth quarter was negated when Taylor threw a pick on Buffalo's next offensive play.
"If you asked me before the game, I definitely thought we would have won (with three turnovers)," Alexander said. "Defensively we have to find a way to get in the end zone on those plays. Get a pick-six, get a score. Because I know a couple of them we didn't get any points off of them and didn't capitalize off of the turnovers."
