Two Bills Drive

‘If ever there were two teams anxious to get back on the field, they are the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers. They get their wish today at Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘The challenge he’s facing now is different than chasing future Heisman Trophy winners or lowering his forearm on some unsuspecting wideout who dared stray between the hash marks. Gray is in his first season as the defensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills, a position that places him under an intense spotlight that can be tough to bear. He knew there were going to be doubters when the Bills abandoned the 3-4 defense they had used successfully since 1979 in favor of the 4-3. He knew some people were going to ask questions about the change, especially after the Bills had the third-ranked defense last year following a season in which they were ranked No. 1. Molding the unit in his resilient image is even more daunting minus steadfast veterans like Marcellus Wiley, Ted Washington, John Holecek and Sam Rogers. Now Sam Cowart, the pulse of the group, is down for the year with a partially torn right Achilles tendon.’

‘I have to cackle at Buffalo Bills’ fans. One medium-sized pratfall and they think the football world has gone into permanent eclipse.’

‘The annual Buffalo Bills pet calendar is out, and as always, the photos make it. Where else can you get a picture of Bills owner Ralph Wilson side by side with pal Buffy?’

‘The Steelers have been off so long they wonder how long it will take to shake off the rust. "We have tried to get close to game simulation (at practice), but you can never simulate true game speed," Cowher said.’

‘Cynics may sneer at the Buffalo Bills as big-game chokers. Critics may point to the Bills’ four straight Super Bowls failures in 1990-93 and snicker. But in reality, the Bills had nothing to be ashamed of. They were awesome. Obviously, not as awesome as the Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970s. The Steelers’ went 4-for-4 in their Super Bowl appearances in the ’70s. But in a lot of respects, the glory years in Buffalo bore similarities to the glory years in Pittsburgh. Great owners. Great coaches. Great players. Great fans. Great cold-weather, small-market franchises located just 186 miles from each other. Today, though, the Bills are a team light years away from their heyday, 0-2 and going nowhere.’

‘"The fans in Pittsburgh were great to me," he said. "And they were great to my family. They always treated us with a lot of respect, and we’ll never forget that. But we’re Buffalo Bills (now). We live in this community. And that’s where our attention is."’

‘Cowher didn’t like being asked on Tuesday if this game had added meaning because of Donahoe. "No," the coach said, glaring at the inquisitor.’

‘After losing their first two games by a combined score of 66-32, after being outgained (856-625), outsacked (9-3) and outclassed, the Buffalo Bills have a more modest goal right now. Win one game.’

‘"I feel pretty confident right now. I’m not down and the team doesn’t feel down. We need that one win and we can get this thing rolling. We’ve got 14 games left. In college had we lost our first two games, maybe yes, you’d be down because you only play 11 or 12 games. We know how crucial losses are in college. But in the NFL, we might go on a streak and win 14 straight. Who is to say we won’t? We just need to stay confident, keep working hard, and it’s going to come."’

‘After losing two games to upper-echelon teams, the Bills will face a Pittsburgh club that, like it, isn’t going anywhere this season. The Steelers have not played in three weeks, so they’re either going to be rusty from the layoff or fresh and eager because of it. If the Steelers are fresh, the banged-up Bills must avoid falling behind early. If the Steelers are rusty, the Bills need to take control of the game.’

‘For the Bills offence to develop some consistency, it may have to come on the back of Henry, a second-round pick from the University of Tennessee. The sooner Henry hits his stride the better for the 0-2 Bills, starting with today’s meeting with the 0-1 Pittsburgh Steelers at Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘The Bills are without middle linebacker Sam Cowart, their best defensive player. He’s done for the season with an injury. His backup, Brandon Spoon, is also out. They will start Kenyatta Wright, a second-year, undrafted player from Oklahoma State in the middle of their new, 4-3 defensive scheme. It should be a good place for Bettis to run.’

‘The offensive and defensive systems being employed by new Bills Coach Gregg Williams are still causing the players to think instead of react. However, he knows how to defense the Steelers because he did it when he was the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. Cowher and offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey will have to make quick adjustments once they determine how the Bills are going to try to stop them.’

‘Today, the two former associates, who together built one of the best teams in the AFC in the 1990s, send their teams against each other at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. Donahoe is president and general manager of the home team, the Buffalo Bills. He won’t admit it, but he would like nothing better than to whip Cowher’s team. Cowher remains coach of the Steelers and holder of the keys to the Rooney kingdom through 2005, along with a salary that eventually will approach $3 million per year.’