Two Bills Drive

‘The former Giants coach will fly to Arizona this morning, where he will interview with the Cardinals today and tomorrow. He is scheduling an interview with the Bears in Chicago on Monday. And then he will be in Buffalo on Tuesday to interview with the Bills.’

‘The Jets’ search for a new defensive coordinator will heat up next week. They have scheduled an interview with former Bills coach Gregg Williams, an NFL source said yesterday. The meeting is expected to occur Monday.’

‘Former Buffalo Bills coach Gregg Williams is expected to become the first person to interview for the Jets’ defensive-coordinator job when he visits Weeb Ewbank Hall early next week.’

‘The Dolphins have received permission to interview Modrak but haven’t been able to reach him by phone since Monday, Jones said. He said they remain interested in Modrak, Buffalo’s assistant general manager for two seasons.’

Fassel’s interview schedule includes Arizona on Saturday, Chicago on Monday and possibly Buffalo on Tuesday. Rosner (Fassel’s agent) said Fassel heard from the Bills for the first time Friday.

‘Tom Donahoe spent his New Years traveling the country looking for a head coach. Today he’s in Foxbourgh to interview Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and New England defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. Donahoe spent New Years Day in St.Louis interviewing Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith.’

‘Smith already has interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants. Chicago is scheduled to meet him today. There is speculation in Atlanta that he may be the Falcons’ top choice.’

‘A year away from the game did wonders for Coughlin’s persona. He no longer is viewed as a tyrant. Instead, his image is that of a shrewd disciplinarian perfectly fit to a franchise in need of a swift and emphatic kick in the pants. He was a finalist for the Bengals job last season and is being heralded as a solution waiting to be tapped. Whether he’d be right for Buffalo is part of the quandary facing Tom Donahoe, president and general manager of the Bills, who has the unenviable task of sifting through a wealth of candidates, tested and untested, and then rendering the most important decision of his tenure.’

‘”All around I think this has been my best year since I’ve been in the league,” said Winfield, whose tackle total was a career high. “I would have liked to have had a lot more interceptions and changed a few games around, but I didn’t do that.”‘

‘What set him apart, in addition to his smooth voice, was his objectivity. “He’s a consumate pro among home team broadcasters who reacted without emotion when Buffalo lost those four Super Bowls,” says broadcasting veteran Don Chevrier. “All too many others would have whined and moaned when `their’ team lost.”‘

‘Arizona and Buffalo also have been granted permission to sit down with Crennel. The Cardinals and Bills likely will do so today, the last day teams with head coaching vacancies can interview assistants on playoff teams with first-round byes until their seasons have ended.’

‘This team (Buffalo) is close. Very close. Which is why this is the best job out there.’

‘Buffalo will forgive him if he gets this organization turned around. I’m not sure how long Donahoe will be here, but I’m positive he’ll be elsewhere if the Bills keep piling up losses and missing the playoffs.’

‘So what about that escape clause? Well, it seems it never existed, and many people close to the Saints and Haslett think it’s quite possible that Haslett started the rumor himself.’

‘Williams, fired by the Bills earlier this week, is free to do as he pleases. He was defensive coordinator for Tennessee for four years before the Bills hired him as their head coach two years ago. He has an aggressive, pressure-style defensive philosophy, a trait Edwards is looking for in the new defensive coordinator.’