Archives for December 6, 2004

‘”I’m not focusing on all of the playoff scenarios,” Bledsoe said. “I’m just looking ahead to Cleveland. We went 1-0 this week. Now we have to go 1-0 next week.”‘

‘It’s crazy, I know. Ludicrous. Insane. Completely NUTTY, but oh, so true.’

‘"If you are going to win consistently, you can’t be one-dimensional," Bledsoe said. "It was good to see today from our team that despite the Dolphins coming out, playing well and scoring points on us, we were able to pick up the slack and put points on the board."’

‘The Bills were sixth in points allowed, Miami was 31st in points scored, yet Buffalo allowed a season-worst 32. The Dolphins’ 25 first downs were the most against the Bills this year, their quarterback, A.J. Feeley, became just the second passer to top 300 yards through the air, and Miami scored touchdowns on all three of its red-zone penetrations. Who cares?’

‘What we do know is that Bledsoe’s personal comeback after one of his worst performances in a 29-6 loss at New England on Nov. 14 has put on display the heart and character of one of the NFL’s all-time greats (we forget sometimes that the league’s 10th all-time passer is in our midst).’

‘If the Buffalo Bills win out to finish 10-6, they probably would join a short list of the best teams not to make the playoffs.’

‘Coaching: Give the defensive staff credit for righting the ship after a terrible start.’

‘There was good and bad. And in the end, the bad counted more.’

‘Bledsoe finished with 277 yards and four touchdowns for an absurdly high efficiency rating of 132.9. ”I’ve said it since March that we have an identity, and that is running the ball,” first-year Buffalo coach Mike Mularkey said. “If we have to throw the football to win, we will throw the football. Whatever phase it takes to win, we’ll do that.”’

‘That six-play, 78-yard drive was the first on which Buffalo went without a huddle. Before the touchdown, Bledsoe completed 3 of 4 for 45 yards on the drive. ”I think the hurry-up got us a little off balance,” defensive end Jason Taylor said. “A team comes into your stadium and runs a no-huddle out of a shotgun, they shouldn’t be able to do that.”’

‘Buffalo cornerback Nate Clements continues to enjoy his yearly visit to Pro Player Stadium. Clements intercepted a pass from A.J. Feeley in the first quarter, the seventh interception of his career against the Dolphins and the sixth in Pro Player.’

‘Who: Buffalo WRs Eric Moulds and Lee Evans vs. the Dolphins secondary.

Who won: Moulds and Evans.’

‘"It was beautiful, man," said Bills linebacker Takeo Spikes, who intercepted Feeley earlier in the game. "I told Pat he looked like a hard-boiled egg running down the sideline."’

‘"A team comes into your stadium and runs a no-huddle offense out of the shotgun, they shouldn’t be able to do that," Taylor said.’

‘"It was strictly a business trip," Mularkey said, "but it felt good to come home and win. It was a total shootout, a real street fight, and I don’t think anyone expected it to be that high scoring. Our guys were sucking air a little because of the heat, but I liked the way they responded."’