Sal Capaccio | Buffalo Bills Sideline Reporter

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Call 562-314-4603 for complete details. Sal Cappaccio on the sidelines and he joins us now after landing back in western New York with the team. I expect it was quite a raucous locker room, Sal? I don't know, but if you can hear outside my window right now, I'm literally, it is five o'clock in the morning. You can hear the fans and that. This is crazy. At the Buffalo Airport right now.

So forget the locker room. There are thousands of people waiting for you in Buffalo. That's amazing. Well, we've been waiting for you too. Yeah, thank you. No, I appreciate it. Thanks for having me as always, Amy.

It's always good to talk to you, especially on a night like tonight. What a special night, you know, for these fans, for this team, for this city to be where they were, 6 and 6, to be where they are now. I mean, it's pretty remarkable.

You heard Chris say it there. There were three games back with five to play. And they did it. It's pretty unbelievable. The way they did it tonight with starters going down and guys filling in and the defense picks a shutout like you said in the second half overcoming some adversity.

Little special teams magic. I mean, it was just pretty poetic down in South Florida in front of thousands and thousands of Bill's Mafia at Hard Rock Stadium. So I could hear that on your radio broadcast and I also heard you talk to not just Hardy, but also Sean McDermott. Why was he so emotional after this one? You know, I just think that everything that's gone into this season, if you remember about a month ago, the article that came out that was really damaging and he felt was a really character assassination on him.

And the way that this team has rallied since. You know, Sean's a really prideful man. And he cares about his work obviously, like all people do I would say, but I think he cares about what this means to his team and his organization and his players and his city and his fans. The Bill's fans.

I don't mean by Sean, but the Bill's fans. I think that hurt him deeply and I don't think it's just that. I think for this team to show the resiliency of the kind of football he preaches, come back and do this and be here tonight, I think it's just special. And when I asked him in that interview that you heard to turn around, we were facing like kind of the field and I said, you know, coach, turn around and see this.

Look at the scene. And I mean, Amy, it was I'm getting she'll think about the emotion and his voice was was. I'd say almost unmatched with Sean.

I've seen Sean pretty emotional, but he's normally pretty stoic guy and that was pretty special to hear and see. I know that we could watch it on TV and get a taste of it, but how big a spark and a turning point that Deontay Hardy, 96 yard punt return touchdown. I mean, it was really to me like an incredibly big exhale, right? Like this team was so that they were dominating, playing the game, just not on the scoreboard. They were moving the ball down and down the field. And Miami wasn't to be quite as I mean, in the very nice first half running the ball, they were really chewing up the yard is running the ball. But the bills did a nice job on them overall in big offense and weren't allowing the big play in the bills. They were moving the ball down the field and had two interceptions and they just couldn't score. They couldn't score in the end of the half the way it ended.

Now you're just like, Oh my gosh, it's gonna be one of those nights. We've seen these nights against the Jets against the Bengals against the Patriots. All the losses they've had here.

They've lost so many close games. I think there was this feeling of here we go again. I think, excuse me, when Deontay got loose and everybody knew he was going to score.

Well, first thing I'm doing is making sure there's no flags and I'm looking on the field. And then, you know, I mean, I think it was a big exhale. I think, Amy, that when he scored, there was a feeling on that sideline and behind me by the thousands of red, white and blue that was there that this team is going to win this game. I think that's really like, okay, now they're 14-14. They're going to shut them down and they're going to score and win the game.

That's exactly what happened. Sal Capaccio is fresh off the team plane and thousands of people waiting at the airport in Buffalo for the Bills to return home as AFC East champions. It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. So what changed in the last five weeks as they rattle off these five wins in a row at Kansas City? They beat the Cowboys, which was a big deal. They go to Los Angeles and take out the Chargers by a couple of points. The Patriots in division matchup and then against the Dolphins last night. How did they rattle off those five straight?

Well, I think a couple of different things. You know, let's start with the offensive coordinator change. It's mattered. You know, I mean, Ken Dorsey had his moments for sure. He's on foot 48 against Miami in week four with Ken Dorsey, but I really think Joe Brady's been good for this offense and good for Josh Allen and the energy that he's brought and just his scheme, leaning on the run game a little bit more.

You know, allowing Josh to be Josh a little bit more. I think that's mattered. The players have responded, but I think what's gone unnoticed here more than anything, Amy, is the Bills defense. They have a very defensive mind and head coach Sean McDermott. He's the play caller, but when they lost in one game in London, Daquan Jones and Matt Milano, the week before they lost to Devious White, you know, it was a bit uneven there for a good four or five weeks. They were giving up, you know, late game drives to Mac Jones and they were giving up second half, you know, against the Philadelphia Eagles. They gave up, you know, what they should have had the win there. They didn't.

And there were a couple other times where that happened. So, what I think happened was the coaches had to learn exactly who the guys that were filling in, what their strengths and weaknesses were, and those guys had to learn their role. And it really was great coaching, I think, from McDermott, his coaching staff, Bobby Babich at linebackers, John Butler at DBs. They traded for Russell Douglas.

I think that was the third piece that fit in. And this guy's been amazing. He got hurt tonight. Let's hope he's okay for the playoffs.

But I think all those things happened. I think the under talked about story of the turnaround of this season is what Sean McDermott was able to do with this defense and let it come together over the last six, seven weeks. How confident are you in the run game?

You and I have had this conversation before. I do not like it when Josh Allen is the leading rusher. I know they're not all designed runs, but I still don't love him taking a ton of hits and I wish they had more consistent run game.

How do you feel about it moving forward? Well, it's there. They can do it. They did it against Dallas.

Just pounded them. James Cook had this amazing game. But it's not there consistently enough. I didn't have it last week against the Patriots. Not that much against the Chargers today.

A little bit here and there. Again, not enough. They have to get more out of it. But I think what you're going to see, though, is when the chips are down, they'll get Josh. And he's their best goal line back.

Look at that first down head with third down 15. That's what he is. He's their best short yardage goal line back. But you'd love to let James Cook do his thing a little bit. I stopped short of saying let James Cook.

But you want to let James do his thing. You want to have a more consistent running game on a week to week basis. It's not a bad running game whatsoever. But it's got to get a little bit more consistent on a week to week, like I said. And that's been missing. But at times they've been a really, really good run team. It's kind of like feast or famine at sometimes, though.

And tonight it was a little bit of famine. And that's when you had to see Josh Allen come to life a little bit with his legs. And Joe Brady's not afraid to call that. And listen, Amy, nobody wants to see Josh Allen take those hits. You're right.

I agreed. Bill's fans. But I'm telling you this. Halfway through the year, Bill's fans are like, why is Josh Allen not running? We need him to.

I mean, can you imagine being in Baltimore and not letting Lamar Jackson run? I mean, that's part of the offense. And he's going to get some bumps and bruises. Everybody understands that.

You'd love to keep him clean. But he's a big part of what they do. And it's going to be a part going forward, too. What do you make of Staphon Diggs not having a touchdown catch over the course of this five game win streak and only having one going back to early November? You know, I don't I don't read into all of it as much as people want to. I do think that there's something going on with his connection with Josh and the timing of it or a little thing here.

They're like, I don't think it's anything personal and I don't think there's any sort of conspiracy. Staphon is 30 years old. He's played a whole heck of a lot of football over the last whatever years. The bill has gone deep into the playoffs and he's always available, by the way. Right. He's always playing.

And at some point, you know, I'm sure his body takes a little bit of wear and tear. That might be it. But also, Josh Allen has missed him three consecutive weeks on huge deep balls, including tonight. What you saw tonight. What you saw tonight missed out an 88 yarder. Maybe it was with that touchdown. Amy, that has happened for the last three weeks. Now, can you imagine if even two of those three, you aren't asking me this?

No one's asked for this. We're not talking about this. And just two of those three hit. And there's some sort of timing issue that's been gone on with them. And I think last week it was Josh had people at his feet, blitzes. Belichick did a good job the week before that. To be honest with you, I think Josh was just off. First play of the game he was a bit off. That series he was a bit off.

And he never seemed to connect. Tonight it was there. Tonight it was there except for that one shot. I just looked at the stats. He had eight balls thrown his way. He caught seven of them. So I think that timing was corrected tonight.

And unfortunately, they didn't connect in that big deep ball. Sal Capaccio of the Bills Radio Network and a great insider with the team is with us here after hours. A couple of minutes, even though it's been a long night and now a long morning. What time do you have to be on your own?

Are Buffalo Philly your own station WGR? Well, they were gracious enough to allow me to go on at 8 o'clock this morning instead of 7 o'clock this morning. My normal Monday morning hit. And then I have my own show from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. That's right. Oh, you're not sleeping right?

If you sleep it might get worse though. Don't do it. Let me tell you the best part about what's going to happen here in the next 20 minutes. Three times this year, I have a 10-year-old who just loves the Bills so much. And him and my wife have season tickets and they're behind the bench and they sit right up there. And three times this year I've come home really late at night. I go up, I give him a kiss goodnight and he wakes up and says, did the Bills win?

And I've had to say no. Guess what's going to happen in 10 minutes? Oh, I love it. I'm going to say yes they did, buddy.

They're division champions again. Oh, that's awesome. And what will he do? Will he be half asleep? Oh yeah, but he'll give me a big hug and kiss and he'll have a smile and go back to sleep for a little while. And then we'll wake up and he'll want to watch all the highlights before he goes to school.

Best part of the morning. I love it. Sal the dad, also the Bills' silent reporter. Okay, so they haven't seen the Steelers since the preseason. How do you like the matchup initially? Well, I really like the matchup simply because I just don't think, I think Mike Tomlin is one hell of a coach. And I think he's squeezed absolutely every ounce out of that team so far this year that you could give and get. And that's why they're in that position.

I think the Bills are the better football team. And I don't know, what's the line? I'm guessing it's going to be a touchdown. I mean, it's got to be something like that, right?

I'm not really sure. But there's probably a reason, and there's a reason why. It's because the Bills, to me, are the better football team and they're going to be home. And as much as Mike Tomlin is a great coach, I think they're probably going to be without T.J. Watt. I like this matchup for the Bills. What I don't like is the Steelers have that extra night, extra day, I should say, to prepare. They played Saturday night. The Bills are getting home here late on a Sunday night going into Monday morning. They'll have a little less time for those bumps and bruises, those guys that got hurt. But I do like the initial matchup and, you know, whether it's Mason Rudolph or Kenny Pickett, this defense is playing really, really well right now and they're going to have a challenge on their hands. As we talked about, shutting out the Miami Dolphins in the second half of a game for the AFC East title on Sunday night.

One more thing before I let you go, Sal, that's completely off of this topic. But I was just reflecting last week about how it had been a year since DeMar Hamlin had to be resuscitated on the field in Cincinnati and that we had gotten the incredible news and he was awake in the hospital about 48 hours later. But that, to me, the most significant memorable sports story of 2023. How is DeMar these days? You know, DeMar, he's such a happy, fun guy to be around and, you know, for what he went through, for him to every day have a smile on his face and be at practice and doing what he loves, it's just awesome to see. And, you know, we've all, I think, in the media gotten to know DeMar more because of what happened, obviously.

But I think even for me personally, you know, and I've had a couple conversations with him and his family about that night. And, you know, I'm just really grateful and thankful that, you know, he's a part of all our lives and here in Buffalo and a part of this team. He's doing great. He's doing great. And I got to brag about my Syracuse orange beating his Pitt Panthers to him last week, actually, in basketball. So that was even better.

Good. I'm so glad. Every time he opens his mouth or receive in front of a microphone, I'm so impressed with the impact that he's making. Certainly is very evident that he's not going to waste this opportunity that he's been given and the money that people invested in his foundation to make just incredible changes and incredible improvements around the world. And Amy, can I say this too about him is that, you know, a lot of times things happen to people and they put their name to something and they say donate or help out and I'm a part of this cause. You know, what's the most impressive part about this young man is he's a true agent for change. He goes to places. He goes around the country, goes to these cities.

His foundation is literally like helping to save lives through supplying AEDs and training through CPR training and he goes there and he's a part of it. And I think that's what's the super cool part of, you know, Demar's story and the legacy is that he's leaving. Even as Sal is saying those last few words, I'm watching Hardy's punt return touchdown. Nobody anywhere close to him once he hit the 50 yard line.

He was gone. I think he dialed it down around the 40. I mean, he knew it. He's been waiting for that one.

Yeah, I don't think he got a hand on him. So it was a really, really big play. It might go down, I mean, as the signature play to get this team to the playoffs when it's all said and done here at the end of the season. Sideline going crazy, understanding the significance and the impact. Sal Cappaccio has been with the Bills all night on the team plane after doing the interviews on the sidelines. They are AFC East champions, a fourth straight year, most unlikely, most improbable.

The number two seed in the AFC will host the Steelers coming up next Sunday on Twitter at SalSports. Poor guy. Well, gets to be a dad and tell Max about the Bills, but then it's got a lot of work to do today. So thank you for a few minutes. I really appreciate it as always. Any time for you. Thanks a lot.

Have a great morning, a great year. We'll talk to you guys. I'm going to rely on Graybar to help keep them up and running.

Yeah, Graybar does that. Call 562-314-4603 for complete details. I'm Tony Kornheiser and this is my show. My friends come on and you know them. We talk about the sports you care about football and now basketball, too, though we don't really pay attention until later in the year. And the absurdity that is our lives line etiquette at your local pharmacy, the current phase of the moon, the importance of talking to a human being on the phone, and most importantly, the power of a box of that.

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