e Bush didnt finish the game because of a groin injury.HOGAN HOMECOMINGPatriots receiver Chris Hogan scored on a 53-yard touchdown catch in beating Bills top cornerback Stephon Gilm

Ryan OByrne hasnt been able to keep a low profile this summer.Sure, thats usually the case when youre 6-foot-5, 234 pounds. But its even more difficult when youre going back to being a full-time college student -- at age 32.OByrne played more than 300 games as a defenseman in the NHL, the last eight with the Toronto Maple Leafs, so hes used to going with the flow. But any adjustments teachers and students might have to make to the presence of the hulking OByrne are nothing compared to the adjustment he is making.It will be a transition period, no question, said OByrne, who took to Twitter on July 21 to officially announce his retirement from hockey.Its actually been a real good transition for me, for getting engaged in class and being expected to contribute. Thats a part of your grade, your contribution to the class, he said. Lets not kid ourselves, going back to class, youre 32 years old and everyone else is 21. Its definitely a transition period. Im excited to go back but there is that little bit of unknown after not going to campus for 10 years.A decade ago, OByrne forfeited his final year of eligibility at Cornell University to turn pro. The third-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2003 started with the Habs, was then traded to the Colorado Avalanche and then the Leafs before navigating his last three seasons through the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Sweden. All the while, he continued to take online courses in the hopes that he could someday complete his degree in Cornells hotel administration program.OByrne is taking a macroeconomics class at Torontos Ryerson University, and just passed a course required of anyone who wishes to enter the securities industry in Canada, before he returns to Cornell as a full-time student in the fall. Deciding to return to his alma mater was easy. Walking away from hockey was hard.It started last season in Europe with a broken nose, a painful injury followed in short order by injuries to his shoulder, MCL and back. Two years removed from hip surgery and with the likelihood of a return to the NHL appearing less and less likely, OByrne contemplated leaving the game for the first time in his career.I finally got an MRI on the back and the doctor said, Your back is not in great condition. If you keep playing, it might get worse. Then you really start to question it. Is it all worth it? OByrne said. That was the first time I ever had those thoughts come to my head.So, OByrne called it a career and enrolled full time at Cornell. Its a move hes excited about and one that more former college players are making.I probably sit down with five or six guys a year who are retiring. They call me up and say, Hey, Im thinking about this. How did it go for you? said Ben Clymer, who played 438 NHL games before retiring and returning to the University of Minnesota in 2010. He now works as a financial adviser and has pro hockey players among his clients.I was very intimidated to go back. Youve been out of school a long time, its kind of embarrassing to be the old guy in class. Thats weird, Clymer said. I thought the first day was difficult. Just trying to figure out where the heck to go, where to sit. Between his first three years attending Cornell and the online courses hes been taking regularly since 2010, OByrne has a single semester left before he earns his degree. Then comes the most daunting task for any college graduate clutching a diploma: finding a job.The plan after school is to go into an area of finance: financial services, wealth management or private equity. I just need to find that right little niche for myself where I can utilize that life experience that I have, OByrne said. Thats part of the reason Im in Toronto this summer. For Canada, its the epicenter of the financial world.His previous studies and a decade in pro hockey equipped OByrne with a variety of skills that should prove useful in the financial world. But none of those things helped refine the kind of networking skills required to solicit potential employers. Thats why OByrne has also spent part of his summer pounding the pavement and meeting for coffee or beers with people, including old teammates and opponents, working in the financial industry. Any insight they can provide could be crucial when OByrne begins searching in earnest for his first job not involving skating.Fortunately for OByrne, it hasnt been difficult consulting former on-ice peers for guidance. He cites Shane Hynes, a former Cornell teammate and Anaheim Ducks draft pick who eventually returned to school, as a model for what he hopes to achieve. And he has spent much of his summer lining up meetings.OByrne isnt only thinking ahead to his next career. Hes first hoping to make the most of his one last opportunity to enjoy campus life at an Ivy League school that helped mold him after he first arrived from British Columbia in 2003.When I was at Cornell, I built so many strong bonds with those guys on the hockey team who will be lifelong friends. We all still talk today, weekly. I look forward to going back and using that schooling in my next career, he said. Going back to school in the fall is kind of a blessing in disguise. I get to go back for a semester and sharpen up my skills before I jump into the next stage of my life. I have very fond memories of Cornell and I look forward to getting back there.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- One glance at the Buffalo Bills 4-4 record was all safety Corey Graham needed in assessing the state of his inconsistent team.Right now, were exactly where we are: A mediocre team, Graham said bluntly.As injuries pile up, a sense of demoralization is beginning to set in after Tom Brady and the New England Patriots (7-1) exposed many of the Bills weaknesses in a 41-25 rout on Sunday.Buffalos defense was unable to keep Brady in check in allowing the quarterback to convert nine of 13 third-down chances, throw four touchdowns and engineer five consecutive scoring drives spanning halftime.Brady improved to 26-3 against Buffalo to match an NFL record of most wins by a quarterback against one team. Brett Favre was 26-9 against Detroit.And the Bills injury-depleted offense was in no position to keep up. Playing minus top threat, running back LeSean McCoy (left hamstring), Buffalo punted three times in the first half and was unable to convert two fourth-down chances in the second half.The Bills were also down three of their top four receivers, including Sammy Watkins (left foot), and then lost backup Brandon Tate to a possible concussion Sunday.This resembled nothing of the boastful team that was flying high during a four-game winning streak, which included a 16-0 victory at New England on Oct. 2 in a game Brady sat out while serving his four-game Deflategate suspension.The Bills have now lost two in a row and dropped to 1-4 against AFC teams.Coach Rex Ryan isnt giving up, but concedes Buffalos chances of catching the Patriots are all but over.I think its unrealistic to think youre going to win your division when you just got beat by -- how many games are they up by? Three? Ryan said. I dont see that changing. But I never said it was going to ruin our season.The margin for error is getting thinner for a team attempting to snap a 16-season playoff drought -- the NFLs longest active streak.We just need to calm down, linebacker Zach Brown said, before looking ahead to a Nov. 7 prime-time showdown at Seattle. Weve got to play to win. We all signed up to win this thing.A number of things that stood out Sunday:RED FLAGRyan acknowledged he threw a challenge flag out of frustrration in the final minute when Jonathan Williams was stopped for no gain on first-and-goal from the 1.ddddddddddddhat was on me. Im a little ticked off because I was showing them like, `Guys, just look at the replay, Ryan said. The Bills would have been penalized for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but were instead allowed to use one of their two remaining timeouts. Williams scored on the next play.GRONK MILESTONEPatriots tight end Rob Gronkowski set two franchise scoring records with his 53-yard touchdown catch, which put New England ahead 21-10 in the second quarter. The Buffalo native scored his 69th touchdown and 68th receiving, breaking the previous career record held by Stanley Morgan.Gronkowskis father, Gordie, enjoyed the moment in a stadium suite with about 80 family members and friends.We were all on our barstools and had a big celebration for him, Gordie Gronkowski told The Associated Press, noting he anticipated his son would score.When he comes here, he gets all wired up and hyped up and everything to play in front of his fans, he said. It was a fantastic moment for us.ON THE RUNBills backup RB Mike Gillislee had 12 carries for 85 yards and scored on 3-yard run filling in for McCoy. Ryan said hes not sure about McCoys playing status for next week. Third-string running back Reggie Bush didnt finish the game because of a groin injury.HOGAN HOMECOMINGPatriots receiver Chris Hogan scored on a 53-yard touchdown catch in beating Bills top cornerback Stephon Gilmore up the left sideline.Busted coverage, said Gilmore, who was spotted yelling at safety Jonathan Meeks following the play.Hogan spent the previous four seasons in Buffalo before signing an offer sheet with New England which the Bills declined to match last spring.SACK STREAK SNAPPEDBills linebacker Lorenzo Alexanders seven-game sack streak was snapped when he left the game in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. Alexander was hurt during a punt return. The 10-year journeyman entered with an NFL-leading nine sacks.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL[url=http://www.authenticws