Archives for December 13, 2003

‘This will be the Bills’ first important game in Nashville since their AFC wild-card loss to the Titans, which propelled Tennessee to the Super Bowl in 2000. Only six Bills remain from that team, which now looks like a northern version of the Titans, with cornerback Dainon Sidney and four former Tennessee coaches. ”They’re bizarro Titans,” Tennessee left tackle Brad Hopkins said. Add to that three former Tennessee Volunteers on the Bills’ roster, and Sunday’s game feels like a family reunion albeit one with very high stakes. Henry alone will have 25 friends and family in the stands.’

‘”There’s no doubt in my mind he’ll answer the bell,” said Bills coach Gregg Williams, the Titans’ defensive coordinator from 1997-00. “He’s one of the toughest football players in the league, and playing at a very high level. You know he’s playing at a level that many are considering maybe an MVP candidate. I thought he was last year, too.”‘

‘”We had parking attendants go out there earlier than they normally would be and made the authorities aware, “Let’s enforce this more than we have before,’ ” said Bills spokesman Scott Berchtold. “A lot of the fans had entered in illegally, actually, when they came into the parking lots before that,” he said. “We’re paying a lot more attention to that, and we’re enforcing it a lot of more readily now, and fans should be aware of that.”‘

‘”You don’t take a week off. This is football. You play,” said Bledsoe. “If I’m able to play I’m going to play and that’s the way I’m going to be until I quit playing the game.”‘

”’He’s got a little less swelling in the ankle joint than he did (Thursday). And that’s the key right now, to get the swelling out of there, because there’s so much swelling and bleeding in the joint it’s not operating,” Fisher said. ”If we can continue to get the swelling out then he’ll have a chance to get out on the field and see if he can go.”’

”’Drew has helped me out a lot and I appreciate everything he has done. What he has done in this league is phenomenal,” Volek said.’

‘That said, if you mentioned Steelers offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey as a candidate to become the next Bills’ head coach, I wouldn’t laugh at you.’

‘“He’s got a little less swelling in the ankle joint than he did yesterday,” coach Jeff Fisher said after practice Friday. “And that’s the key right now, to get the swelling out of there because there’s so much swelling and bleeding in the joint, it’s not operating.”’

‘Williams said Willis McGahee once again practiced with the offense this week. Last week the head coach said he’d consider using McGahee for the first time all season. He didn’t play on Sunday. This week Williams said, “I wouldn’t go out on a limb and say that he’ll play.”‘

‘Wide receiver Eric Moulds will be shown giving a tour of his home on “NFL Under the Helmet” Saturday morning at 12 noon ET on FOX in the Buffalo area.’

‘Q: Watching football as a kid, what was your “team” that you always tried to watch and wanted to play? Did you expect to be playing for the Buffalo Bills today? – Alex (Olean, NY) TH: The Buffalo Bills were my team. I watched them through the Super Bowl runs. A particular player I admired growing up was Emmit Smith, but the Buffalo Bills were my team.’

‘On Drew Bledsoe: Your rush approach is a little different when you’ve got a quarterback who is not as likely to take off and run or break contain and throw on the run. He could still move around. He’s a pocket passer and a very good one and he’s been making good decisions as of late. His success has been tied to the running game the last three or four weeks.’