Two Bills Drive

‘Home: New England, Miami, New York Jets, Cleveland, Pittburgh, Houston, Arizona, St. Louis.’

‘Still, Brown’s long-term future in Buffalo is tenuous. He’s due a $1.8 million roster bonus in March and the club may elect to part ways with Brown, one of the club’s most popular and civic-minded players who recently was named to a team-record eighth consecutive Pro Bowl. Metz said much is to be decided, particularly if a new head coach is hired, as expected.’

‘”Hey, when you don’t make the playoffs, when you underachieve, you know there’s going to be changes,” he said. “How many changes, that’s not for me to decide. That’s upper management, Mr. Donahoe and his staff. I know one thing, whatever changes are made, we will be a good football team next season and we will compete for a Super Bowl.”‘

‘It’s hard to believe three years of upheaval and hard work have not panned out for Donahoe. Williams’ record is his record and his most difficult decisions have only just begun. Pass the champagne; it’s going to be a long new year.’

‘This season was supposed to pay the first dividend on Donahoe’s campaign to get the Bills out of salary-cap hell. He has accomplished that, but the team is nowhere near ready for prime time. However it plays out, the Bills are once again on that treadmill of losers everywhere: The rebuilding program. See you in three more years.’

‘COACHING – A. Strategically this was as good as it gets. The offense spread the Bills out across the field, allowing Brady to pick out the nickel and dime backs and throw in their areas. Once the Pats took a big lead in the second half, they pounded away with Antowain Smith and the offensive line. The defense never gave Drew Bledsoe time to wait for his receivers to get open, mixing their blitzes and keeping the pressure in Bledsoe’s face.’

‘"Good guys who did the right thing, but it just didn’t work out. We always go with the guys who are ready to go. It starts with me, guys have been stepping in all year and we just have to be ready to go. My job is trying to get the guys that were here ready to go. Effort has not been the issue with this team, that’s disappointing part."’

‘"Well you know, its tough, and we weren’t able to make a few plays for him. And a couple of the pressure situations he got pressured early, was hit early on a protection bust and turned the ball over and we didn’t keep that drive for point position, I think they were able to score off that drive. Early in the ballgame we didn’t make plays for him. And that’s the way the season has gone That’s where we’ve probably been the most remiss for the season, that’s probably why we’re at 6-10, no big plays."’

‘"First of all, let me say this about Gregg Williams. You watch a guy that is going through a very tough situation, and we are all in a very tough situation as a team, but Gregg through the entire season has been in a difficult spot. His strength of character that he has demonstrated for this team and the leadership that Gregg demonstrated for this team has been tremendous. I have great respect for him because of that. As far as what we do on the field, the thing that I have said all year is that we have a plan going to the game, we just need to be more precise in what we do on the field. I still believe that is true. As far as could there have been help at times, we can all do better at times. That’s the bottom line."’

‘“I don’t want people thinking this is something that it’s not,” agent Eric Metz told The Associated Press. “One isolated, very small mistake shouldn’t damage what has been and will continue to be a very great career.”’

‘In Buffalo, Gregg Williams is expected to be fired Tuesday after three seasons in which he went 17-31. The Bills do, however, plan to bring back quarterback Drew Bledsoe.’

‘As his teammates cleaned out their lockers, Ruben Brown decided not to tell why he missed last week and Saturday’s season finale in New England. Jonas Jennings said, "Rubes is OK, he’s just mad at some of the accusations against him." I was thinking that maybe Brown could stop all the speculating if he’d come out and tell us what happened. He’s always been a standup guy and I don’t understand why that may have changed?’

‘“It’s like we just fell apart,” cornerback Antoine Winfield said. “It seems like a lot of confidence was lost and we just didn’t regain it.”’

‘Most disappointing player: It has to be Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe.’

That’s where the Bills found themselves this season — ready and willing and more than able, but doomed by antiquated tactics.