Bills coach Marrone gives game ball to Erie County emergency responders

Published Nov. 25, 2014 10:04 a.m. ET

Brett Smiley

After the Buffalo Bills decimated the lifeless New York Jets 38-3 Monday night in its home-game-on-the-road in Detroit, Bills head coach Doug Marrone gave the game ball to Erie County emergency responders.

"Afterwards, I gave the game ball obviously to the emergency response team in Erie County," Marrone said, according to Syracuse.com. "I think that's important. Pretty much too many people to thank for us being able to get it together."

New York governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for Erie County, which includes the city of Buffalo, as well as in other counties buried by massive lake-effect snowfall. The storm has caused at least 13 deaths and tested emergency responders who now must grapple with the possibility of flooding as snow melts.

"Whether we rallied around all the adversity or not, I think those questions are for (the players)," Marrone said. "Obviously, we talked about it. We wanted to give the people back in our region a chance to smile a little bit by the way we play."

Marrone and Bills players had the city on their minds, which prompted tight end Scott Chandler's unique shovel celebration after a second-quarter touchdown. In case you missed it:

Indeed, Chandler is shoveling snow, though one could mistake it for gravedigging for the hapless 2-9 Jets.

[H/T Syracuse.com]