ORCHARD PARK Randy Gregory Jersey , N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills‘ 17-year playoff drought is finally over, and Kyle Williams has no time to be sentimental.

The defensive tackle and unquestioned team leader is approaching his 13th season in Buffalo no differently than his previous 12, even though it’s Williams’ first coming off a playoff appearance.

Whatever memories of unbridled joy he had celebrating the moment with his children and teammates — including the picture of Williams and center Eric Wood posing arm in arm and shirtless — after a win at Miami, followed by Cincinnati eliminating Baltimore on a last-minute fourth-down touchdown pass on New Year’s Eve have been long packed away.

“I’m really good at compartmentalizing a lot of different things,” Williams said. “We’re preparing for this year. And really, last year was last year, and we really don’t talk about it.”

He doesn’t miss having to discuss the team’s playoff futility after Buffalo ended the longest active playoff drought in North America’s four major professional sports, and yet Williams understands there will always be some new concern to address.

“If it’s not a drought question, it’s another question Joel Iyiegbuniwe Jersey ,” he said. “It comes with the territory. It’s part of the deal.”

There are numerous questions, though Williams’ focus of looking ahead reflects that of the franchise’s approach under the second-year tandem of coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane.

The two spent the offseason continuing a major roster overhaul in a bid to rebuild through youth.

The Bills entered training camp with just 15 players with more than one season of experience in Buffalo.

The most significant change comes at quarterback, a position that has remained unsettled since Hall of Famer Jim Kelly retired following the 1996 season.

Third-year starter Tyrod Taylor was traded to Cleveland, and Beane pinned the team’s future on Josh Allen. Putting aside questions of Allen’s accuracy issues during his three seasons at Wyoming, Buffalo traded up five spots to choose him seventh overall — the highest spot in the draft order the Bills have ever selected a quarterback.

Now comes the question of when Allen might be ready to start.

Allen showed signs of being a strong-armed but raw rookie during his first three preseason appearances while failing to separate himself in a three-way quarterback competition rounded out by returning backup Nathan Peterman and free agent addition AJ McCarron.

McDermott has provided no hints regarding who his starter will be when Buffalo opens the regular season at Baltimore on Sept. 9.

Uncertainty at quarterback and the amount of roster turnover opens questions as to whether the Bills might take a step back a year after a 9-7 finish.

Beane refutes the notion of having lowered expectations in what might well be a transitional year in Buffalo.

“We’re trying to win harder now than we were a year ago,” Beane said. “We’ve set the standard, and if we drop down, we’re pointing back on ourselves. If anything, we’ve got to try to make it an even higher standard.”

Here are some things to know about the Bills.

ROOKIE CLASS

Aside from Allen Jordan Mills Jersey , the Bills are in a position to potentially have two other rookies earning regular playing time. First-round pick Tremaine Edmunds has already won the starting middle linebacker job. Third-round pick Harrison Phillips will be Williams’ primary backup at defensive tackle.

CULTURE CLUB

McDermott revealed how much of an emphasis he placed on improving the Bills’ culture upon his arrival last year. McDermott said he noticed how poor a number of the players’ habits were while reviewing tape of the team’s practices under his predecessor Rex Ryan.

“Culture’s always changing, it’s always growing, whether you like it or not,” he said. “And if you don’t manage it, it’ll grow up in the form of weeds.”

FAN APPRECIATION

The one thing Williams appreciates about the Bills breaking their playoff drought was what it meant to the fans, who no longer have to be reminded about it.

“When they want to watch TV or watch the NFL, that’s not what they have to hear every time they turn it on. I think that’s the best thing for me,” Williams said. “For me, it doesn’t really land on my radar. But for them Sam Huff Jersey , I’m happy for that.”

UH-OH-LINE

The offensive line remains a concern in having to replace two key spots after Wood retired because of a career-ending neck injury and left guard Richie Incognito forced the Bills to release him. Ryan Groy is in the mix for both jobs. He’s competing with Russell Bodine at center and Vladimir Ducasse at left guard. The starters gave up five sacks for 39 yards in the first half against Cincinnati on Sunday.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The Bills face a daunting schedule in the opening two months. They play five of their first seven games on the road, before returning home to host AFC East rival New England for a Monday night game on Oct. 29.

The Philadelphia Phillies won another one-run game to extend their winning streak to six games.

Nick Williams, Scott Kingery and Jorge Alfaro drove in runs on consecutive at-bats in the seventh inning to help Philadelphia win 3-2 on Saturday.

With two outs in the seventh, Williams sent a line drive down the right field line that took a funny hop off the fence and eluded Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco, who bobbled the ball. The relay throw still made it to third baseman Colin Moran ahead of Williams, but he able to avoid the tag for a triple.

Carlos Santana scored on the play. Kingery followed up with a single up the middle and then scored when Alfaro hit a double to right-center to give the Phillies all they’d need to clinch their third straight series win and improve to an MLB-best 19-7 in one-run games.

”Another win in a one-run game,” manager Gabe Kapler said. ”I think that’s something to really be proud of and something we continue to focus on.”

Jake Arrieta (6-6) worked around six hits with the help of eight strikeouts to hold the Pirates to two runs over seven innings. It was Arrieta’s first win in eight starts, though it didn’t look that way at first.

”There’s no perfect formula for how the game’s going to play out,” Arrieta said. ”Yeah Mitch Unrein Jersey , you want to score first. You want to score often. Sometimes that doesn’t happen.”

Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (5-7) was charged with all three runs. He struck out eight and walked none in his 77 pitches over 6 2/3 innings. He had allowed just two singles and hadn’t allowed a runner to even get into scoring position coming into the seventh inning. Reliever Edgar Santana allowed the go-ahead run to score with Alfaro’s double. The three runs were scored on three straight pitches.

”I was really excited and looking forward to being the guy to put an end to our tough streak here,” Taillon said. ”I’m at 68 pitches without a guy touching second base and someone’s warming up? That’s tough. So, I don’t know. I haven’t been pitching the greatest. I understand the trust isn’t there. “

Starling Marte singled and scored in the first and homered in the second as part of a three-hit afternoon to stake the Pirates to an early lead. Pittsburgh has lost five straight.

Victor Arano worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his second save.

ROSTER MOVES

The Pirates activated right-handed reliever Michael Feliz from the 10-day disabled list, selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Alex McRae from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned relievers Dovydas Neverauskas and Josh Smoker to Indianapolis.

Feliz had been on the disabled list since June 24 with a right shoulder strain. He has a 5.51 ERA in 33 appearances this season. It’s McRae’s first MLB call-up. He had a 4.61 ERA in 17 appearances – 16 starts – with Indianapolis. He’ll work out of the bullpen in Pittsburgh.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: INF Cesar Hernandez did not start after fouling a ball off his foot on Friday. He flew out in the eighth as a pinch hitter.

Pirates: C Francisco Cervelli (concussion) returned from his rehab assignment and took batting practice before the game. He hopes to be activated from the disabled list on Sunday. . RHP Joe Musgrove (finger infection) threw a bullpen session. He expects to return from the disabled list on Tuesday. . RHP Chad Kuhl (right forearm strain) is getting a second opinion on his injury and expects to be out until after the All-Star Game.

UP NEXT

Phillies: Drew Anderson is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make his 2018 debut. Anderson was 5-3 with a 4.15 ERA. It will be his third career MLB appearance.

Pirates: Nick Kingham (2-4, 4.70 ERA) will try to shake off a career-worst appearance last time out against Los Angeles on July 2, when he gave up seven runs in three innings. The rookie is 0-4 over his last five starts.

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