Two Bills Drive

‘”You could tell he was in control from the beginning of the game,” Titans wide receiver Justin McCareins said. “Billy throws a little bit different ball, a harder ball. He has a strong arm and likes to utilize it, so you have to be ready. I commend him for his effort because he showed what kind of player he is.”‘

It’s not official and, Bills GM Donahoe will continue to toe the party line, which is that coach Williams won’t be evaluated until after the last game of the season. But start the search in Buffalo, folks, because Williams, a good guy who had to make the playoffs to survive, is a goner.

‘”You get tired of saying, “A play here, a play there,’ ” said linebacker Takeo Spikes. “When is it going to stop?”‘

‘The Bills won’t forget Volek’s name anytime soon. It’ll be all over the highlight shows, and it’ll haunt them during the long offseason. The vaunted Buffalo defense had a chance to upset the Titans and keep the Bills’ faint playoff hopes alive. Instead, they blew an 11-point lead and turned an obscure backup into a star.’

‘”I caught the ball,” Shaw said. “But what I think and what the officials called were different, so there isn’t much we can do about it.”‘

‘”It’s all garbage now,” Williams said of his performance in the Bills’ 28-26 loss. “I played good and I made plays, but I throw it away because we lost.”‘

‘”I had anticipated Steve playing based on his reputation in the past,” Bills linebacker London Fletcher said. “But obviously Volek played one hell of a football game.”‘

‘There were three former residents of Walla Walla, Wash., in the game. Both starting quarterbacks, Bledsoe and Volek, grew up there. So did Titans linebacker Peter Sirmon. In fact, Bledsoe used to baby-sit him.’

‘”We have no one to blame but ourselves. It’s a dejected feeling when you have a team with this much talent and knowing that you didn’t get it done.”‘

‘That it was referee Tom White at the center of the storm somehow seemed fitting in this 6-8 season when the Bills dug a hole too deep and left too much to chance. Think about it. Their season is on the line and they draw the man in stripes who has become the poster child for controversy, recently being docked half a paycheck by the NFL for botching the clock that cost Seattle a win.’

‘In fact, Henry wasn’t on the field for the entire drive in the final two minutes as the Bills desperately tried to save their season with a stirring comeback victory. How can this be? The explanation from coach Gregg Williams is that Henry isn’t part of the third-down or two-minute passing packages. That role belongs to Sammy Morris. Oh.’

‘Quarterbacks: Drew Bledsoe made it close with a big fourth quarter, but his 2-point conversion pass to Bobby Shaw was way too low and ruled incomplete. Was outplayed by backup Billy Volek overall, and game turned on his sack/fumble in the third quarter that sparked Titans from a 17-6 deficit. Bledsoe is now 2-9 in last 11 road games.’

”’Billy’s my MVP right now,” McNair said. It was the first time he didn’t play since Sept. 23, 2001, a streak of 45 starts.’

”’They probably don’t want to come back here anytime soon,” Titans tight end Frank Wycheck said.’

”’He was wonderful and outstanding,” said wide receiver Derrick Mason, who caught nine of Volek’s passes for 137 yards, including a 37-yarder that set up a late touchdown. ”(The Bills) threw everything at him … to confuse him. But Billy kept his poise.”’