Two Bills Drive

‘A loss to the 5-7 Bills at this point in the season – just when the Jets are truly starting to believe they’re a pretty good team – would be a major setback, not to mention certain elimination from the playoff contention.’

‘If Bledsoe is unable to play, Alex Van Pelt, who’s thrown 12 passes this season and has a 14.2 rating, would step in.’

‘Edwards, who revealed Tuesday that he has compiled a list of areas in which he must improve, said yesterday he may assign a member of the coaching staff the responsibility of clock-management issues during games next season. That is something he will consider during the offseason. It’s not uncommon for a head coach to delegate that job to an assistant. In Bill Parcells’ days with the Giants, he used running backs coach Ray Handley, a quick-thinking math whiz, as his clock expert.’

‘Even though they won’t admit it publicly, the Jets relish another shot at Bledsoe, who is prone to sacks because he holds the ball longer than most quarterbacks. Asked if Bledsoe is an inviting target, NT Jason Ferguson said, “What makes him more inviting is when you stop (Travis) Henry. That makes them one-dimensional.”‘

‘The Pro Bowl defensive end has endured a dreadful season in which he can’t seem to shake injuries that sidelined him for four of the last five games. Abraham is doubtful again for Sunday’s game at Buffalo and has said he might not play again this season.’

‘After a slow start that fueled talk he was finished, RB Curtis Martin is just 131 yards shy of becoming the second player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 or more yards in each of his first nine seasons. Barry Sanders is the other with 10.’

‘Although Edwards has two years remaining on his contract, he has an escape clause allowing him to leave after this season and is expected to exercise that right if he does not receive a two-year extension from owner Woody Johnson, a league official with knowledge of the situation said yesterday.’

‘”We have to be focused, we have to play with poise, we have to play with the same mentality we played with Monday night and I think it will be hard for anybody to beat us,” running back Curtis Martin said of the 5-7 Jets, who still have a shot at making the playoffs.’

‘From the start of last season, including the 2002 playoffs and through Game 12 of this season, Chad Pennington has thrown 27 touchdown passes while working from inside the red zone and has not been intercepted.’

‘”He’s fine and basically I don’t even have to list him as probable to tell you the truth,” Buffalo coach Gregg Williams said in a conference call. “He could have finished the ball game last week. Drew was going to come back in the game if we needed him.”‘

‘”It was an exciting weekend,” said Donna Schobel, Aaron and Matt’s mom. “To have both of them contribute like that and have both teams win was a lot of fun.”‘

‘”I wouldn’t say I feel completely normal, but I’m all right,” Bledsoe said. “This is football, man, you play. If I’m able to play, I’m going to play.”‘

‘The Jets have won five of their last eight and are 3-2 with Pennington, averaging 24.7 points per game. This is a revenge match the Bills have been looking forward to. “Herman (Edwards) has a history of getting guys to play very hard and play very well,” said coach Gregg Williams of his New York counterpart. “They’ve done this the last couple of years, and we know we’re going to get their best. We’re similar teams. We need to play better than we did the last time. Our guys are looking forward to this contest.”‘

‘Donahoe continues to give off solid vibes that he likes Williams, whom he hand-picked three years ago. Williams just keeps plowing ahead, knowing the only thing he can control is what takes place on the field. “These guys have been working hard,” he said of his players. “There’s been a lot of good football played in that locker room without getting a ‘W.’ It wears on you. Our guys did good a job of battling through that, never wavering, and to the credit of a lot of the guys in there, guys are getting better and better.”‘