Archives for October 28, 2001

‘After listening to this all week, I began to wonder whether anyone in Buffalo or San Diego besides Marcellus Wiley was ever told the story of Pinocchio, because if it still applies, there’s no facemask thick enough to keep the noses of most of the people involved in this game from poking each other in the eye.’

‘He’ll never say it publicly, but does anyone really doubt that Johnson isn’t frothing at the mouth to beat the Chargers and Flutie, his arch enemy who he spent the previous three seasons sparring with in Buffalo?’

‘"When you’re told that Doug Flutie, after the first mini-camp, is terrible and send him back to Canada, you fight those battles. When you’re told Eric Moulds is a bust, and let’s cut our losses, you fight those battles. You fight ’em until you’ve had enough. The same with Antowain Smith. There’s a long, long list of names. I’ll give you three, not 43."’

‘So when asked to predict the winner of today’s Buffalo-San Diego game, pitting Johnson’s Bills against Flutie’s Chargers, he politely played it right down the middle. "Shoot, I don’t know. I couldn’t pick ’em when I was coaching them," Phillips says by phone from Texas, letting out a chuckle. "I just don’t think you can tell. I know and like people on both sides so that’s the good thing for me. It doesn’t matter who I pull for, one is going to win."’

‘I don’t know what’s been most nauseating about this No-Longer-So-Great Quarterback Debate: Rob Johnson’s inability to take the high road in the fray; the fanatics who think Doug can walk on Flutie Flakes without crushing them, or the thin-skinned members of the western New York media who believe Flutie should burn in hell because his huge ego rubbed them the wrong way.’

‘Travis Henry and the running game need to give Johnson some help. Johnson isn’t good enough to win this game with a one-dimensional passing attack, so he’ll need Henry to rip off chunks of yardage on the ground to keep the San Diego defense honest. Rattle Flutie and prevent him from getting into a comfort zone.’

The Bills had a scare Thursday when WR Eric Moulds rolled an ankle, but he returned to practice Friday and was fine. He participated in all of Friday’s drills. The Bills are expected to give backup WR Jeremy McDaniel another week to heal from his ankle injury. DE Phil Hansen says he will return after two missed games because of a dislocated elbow. He may not start, but he is expected to play. That will help the Bills run defense against San Diego. Jon Carman will start at right tackle for injured Jonas Jennings,who has a foot injury.