Here's the Bills news of note for Feb. 6th.
**1 - Taylor anxious to resume offseason work
**Tyrod Taylor is eager to get back to work in Buffalo for 2017.
Taylor attended Super Bowl festivities in Houston this past week and talked to NFL.com about his goals for himself and the Bills in 2017.
"Just continue to keep improving my play," Taylor said. "I just finished up my second year as a starter, going into my seventh in the league, but like I said it sounds crazy, I'm still learning. We've been without a couple guys in the lineup for two years now, so the main thing is that we stay healthy, that we get healthy, and that we remain healthy and go out there and play winning football. I know guys are excited."
Taylor is rehabbing from elective groin surgery he had in early January, but said that he has been around the facility, talking with coaches and working with the medical and training staffs.
The big decision on Taylor's future will come from management by March 11, but Taylor isn't shy about what the Bills could become.
"The talent that we have on this team on paper should be the team that's in the Super Bowl, but we just have to clean up a lot of things and I think that the coaches we brought in can definitely do that," Taylor said.
Taylor has thrown for 37 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in two seasons with the Bills. His passer rating and interception percentage are currently the best in team history.
2 - McCoy wants better team consistencyLeSean McCoy is brimming with confidence as he gears up 2017.
The Bills running back was a guest on SportsCenter for several shows last week at the Super Bowl and was asked about the team's future along with his current standing in the league.
"I still feel that when I'm healthy, there's no back that can touch me," McCoy stated.
It is tough to argue with McCoy's claim. Although the 28-year-old battled injuries in his first season in Buffalo, he's been dominant when he suits up.
McCoy ran for 1,267 yards in 2016 along with 13 rushing touchdowns—his most since 2011. He also averaged 5.4 yards per rush, the highest average of his career.
McCoy also outlined his expectations for the Bills in 2017, and what he wants to see done differently both on the playing field and in the locker room.
"Just being consistent," McCoy said. "There were times when we had three, four wins in a row and then a game we should win, we lose. We were one of the most penalized teams in the NFL. I mean it's hard. These teams that are playing Sunday (in the Super Bowl) are both disciplined. They don't have a lot of turnovers, a lot of mistakes, so to win games you got to be consistent and got to be a smart team. That's something that we're lacking."
McCoy also hopes that consistency continues with his quarterback in 2017. When asked about what he sees from Tyrod Taylor, he said he has seen marked improvement from his signal caller.
"I like Tyrod, I think he does well," McCoy said. "I'm sure the management will work it out, whatever that is and how they'll do it. He showed a big jump from his first year to his second year. And you took a guy who hadn't played and he did well. He's our leader, I look at him as our leader."
3 - Wade Phillips gives thumbs up on Dennison hireOne of the most successful defensive minds in NFL history approves of Buffalo's hire at offensive coordinator.
Wade Phillips, appearing on the John Murphy Show last week, was asked about a variety of topics, including his relationship with Rick Dennison.
"He's great, he's very intelligent," Phillips said. "He's a smart guy, but he's also really good with the players. Gary (Kubiak) called the plays but he did all of the game plans and so forth, and he's been doing it for a long time. He's a great offensive line coach besides being a coordinator. He can do it all, he put it all together. I know the offense did some good things (in Buffalo), but they'll improve with him."
Dennison and Phillips worked together for two seasons with the Broncos, including last season which culminated in a Super Bowl win.
In Dennison's last two seasons playing in the NFL for Denver in 1989-1990, Phillips was his defensive coordinator. Phillips and Dennison also coached together in Houston from 2011-2013.
Phillips recently announced that he is releasing a new book, "Son of Bum: Lessons my Dad Taught Me About Football and Life," in March. The book will detail Phillips' 41-year coaching career in the NFL, including the six years he spent with the Bills as defensive coordinator and then head coach.
"It was great for me," Phillips said. "To go there as a defensive coordinator and win in the first year in the playoffs, and we had the chance to go all the way with those teams. Then to take over and lose the first three games as head coach, looked pretty bad for a while, got in the playoffs a couple of times. Just the people there were so great. We have so many great friends still there and still from there. Buffalo still means a lot to us."
