Two Bills Drive

‘Head coach Doug Beetow of Eden High School has been named the Buffalo Bills’ high school football “Coach of the Week” for the tenth weekend of the 2003 season (Nov. 7-8). Beetow led Eden (10-0) to a 45-33 victory over rival Southwestern HS (8-2) in the Section VI Federation Class B championship playoff game last Saturday at Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘Technically, the Bills still have a chance to make the playoffs. With games at home against the Texans, Colts, Jets and Dolphins and away games at the Giants, Titans and Patriots, there is plenty of time for the Bills to get themselves back in the playoff hunt. With five losses, their margin for error is slim. But with one of the NFL’s strongest defenses and an offense that could quickly catch on fire, they have as good a chance of making a run as any team in the league. Unfortunately, the Bills have shown little in the past two weeks to show that they’re trying to turn things around.’

‘Drew deserves a huge chunk of the blame, but so do his teammates. The offensive line did not hold up well in Dallas on Sunday. Eric Moulds said that several players were responsible for missing blitz pick-ups. But, I believe that Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride should shoulder most of the blame. His play-calling has been atrocious. The offensive line, the running back, and maybe even Bledsoe have to be ready for a mutiny.’

‘Oh, the Bills might suck it up for the final seven games as a show of solidarity for their embattled head coach and his struggling offensive staff. But don’t count on it. This turkey appears cooked.’

‘”We’re aren’t pointing fingers at anybody,” defensive tackle Pat Williams said. “Everybody is still staying together. We just ain’t winning.”‘

‘The Bills had 11 first-down plays in the second half. They ran on four of them.’

‘Bills safety Lawyer Milloy reported to Buffalo police that sometime between 4 p.m. Thursday and 7 a.m. Friday, someone broke the rear driver’s side window of his 2003 Hummer and took a 7-inch color monitor valued at $1,500 from the driver’s headrest.’

WR Eric Moulds is still bothered by a groin injury and expects to play hurt the rest of the season. “I’m basically about 80 percent,” Moulds said Monday, a day after he managed just five catches for 32 yards in Buffalo’s 10-6 loss at Dallas.

‘With three more sacks leading to two fumbles at Dallas, Bledsoe is taking more shots than 50 Cent. He has accounted for 14 turnovers himself this season and on Sunday averaged a minuscule 3.0 yards per attempt, nearly four below his average.’

‘Bledsoe isn’t the only member of the offense who lacks speed. Most of his teammates do, too. Eric Moulds can motor but the Bills lack a speedy wideout on the other side to complement him. The team misses Peerless Price more than most observers expected. Top running back Travis Henry isn’t slow, but he doesn’t have the speed to consistently turn the corner.’

‘That rose you spoke of is now a dying plant in need of water, fertilizer, sunshine and, most importantly, a new gardener. Unless Williams can go 6-1 down the stretch, and he’s given us no reason to have faith that he will, he’ll be packing his air horns and the Bills will be back to square one. But hey, nobody should be catatonic with shock. The NFL is a league of teams du jour. Obviously, everybody overrated Buffalo’s talent moves, starting at the top with Donahoe.’

‘Houston was blown out by Kansas City and Tennessee, but there’s no shame in that as they are a combined 16-2 this year. Otherwise, the Texans have been very competitive and downright pesky. They own victories over Miami on the road, NFC South leader Carolina, and lowly Jacksonville, and they scared the heck out of AFC South leader Indianapolis before succumbing in the RCA Dome. This is no gimme for the Bills, but then again, the University at Buffalo might not be a gimme for the Bills right now.’

‘The offensive line is woefully inept and is getting blown away by the blitzes, and the receivers, who are supposed to get open on hot routes against one-on-one coverage in blitz situations aren’t doing it. But Bledsoe is the man with the ball in his hands and ultimately it comes down to what he does with it. This is a fact even Bledsoe won’t dispute.’

‘Bledsoe repeatedly said after the game that there were plays to be made, but the Bills didn’t make them. Ultimately, it was Bledsoe who didn’t make them.’

‘DE Ryan Denney, a second-round draft choice in 2002, continues to start, but he also continues to give the Bills almost no production. He was credited with one tackle against the Cowboys, and he has just one sack this year.’