Archives for October 2002

‘Following Sunday’s four-interception outing by Ray Lucas, Bills counterpart and former New England teammate Drew Bledsoe gave words of encouragement. “Ray is a good guy, he’s a good player and I just told him to keep his head up, keep his confidence up,” said Bledsoe, who was Lucas’ teammate in 1996.’

‘”As high as I was before the game, that’s how low I am now,” Lucas said in an emotional news conference following the loss.’

‘The Bills reached a point where they attempted to kick short and force a less-threatening player to handle the ball rather than Minor. It only worked once when Jed Weaver, a tight end, handled the ball.’

‘“I was going to run,” Lucas said of the second. “Then I stopped myself from running and I threw it. As soon as I let go I knew he was going to pick it. Then I got hit in the mouth. I deserved to get hit in the mouth on that play.”’

‘The Dolphins had an opportunity to be 6-1, and more importantly 3-0 in the division, heading into the bye week. Instead, they’re 5-2 and 2-1, and face road games at Green Bay on a Monday night and at the Jets with Lucas still at the helm.’

‘”He had a tough day,” Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt would say later, “and he knows it.”‘

‘Ray Lucas did the impossible Sunday. He actually made Miami Dolphins fans yearn for Jay Fiedler.’

‘”I don’t think there’s ever been a case where one guy lost a game for his teammates — except today,” he said.’

‘”I’m going to meet with Cris tomorrow and we’ll see where it goes from there,” Wannstedt said after the Dolphins lost to the Buffalo Bills 23-10 on Sunday at Pro Player Stadium.’

‘The six turnovers were the most by a Miami team since it committed seven in a 62-7 divisional playoff loss at Jacksonville on Jan. 15, 2000. It was the most in the regular season since they also committed six in a 38-16 loss at Atlanta on Dec. 27, 1998.’

‘As defensive end Pat Williams headed to the Buffalo Bills’ locker room today, he shouted, “Miami’s overrated! Miami’s overrated!” And Williams did not soften that stance later. “Yeah, they’re overrated,” he said after the Bills’ 23-10 victory before 73,180 at Pro Player Stadium. “That was our home field out there. We had the dark colors and they had the white jerseys on, but this was our home field today.”‘

‘What you saw in the Bills’ upset of the Dolphins on the road was your worst nightmare realized.’

‘In the meantime, though, there are few targets left for Lucas, and that left him wearing an oversized bull’s-eye. Buffalo kept up the pressure and Lucas was cooked, throwing four interceptions (three to Nate Clements), missing open receivers, botching snaps, and failing to execute a clean handoff to Ricky Williams, resulting in a rally-killing fourth-quarter fumble.’

‘There’s an irony Brady should appreciate. Bledsoe’s leading the NFL in most passing categories. Yet Drew’s least productive game of the season was his easiest – not to mention the Bills’ easiest win.’

‘If the game proved a dreadful debut for Lucas, who completed as many passes to Bills cornerback Nate Clements (three) as he did to any Dolphins receiver, Buffalo’s players hoped it signaled something more promising for them: That they have completed their rebound from a poor season last year, finally returning to contender status and perhaps symbolically passing the reeling Dolphins, one of their most heated AFC rivals, on their way up.’