Two Bills Drive

‘Though the Bills certainly would like to see the cornerback return, he may become too expensive for the Bills. Winfield’s value on the open market could put him in line for a hefty raise after making a $530,000 base salary in the fifth and final year of his contract this season.’

‘Tom Donahoe said there wasn’t any timetable for the hiring of Williams’ replacement, although he did say the process would be intense.’

‘”We weren’t able to do as well as I thought we would this season, but I believe this club has a good strong nucleus and can take the next step,” Williams said at an afternoon news conference. “I’m just sorry I wasn’t able to get us to the next level.”‘

‘Williams’ status with the team was further damaged by a suspected loss of the locker room. Pro Bowl offensive lineman Ruben Brown was asked to ‘stay home’ for Saturday’s embarrassing 31-0 loss to New England.’

‘“I feel he is a part of this team,” Donahoe said of Brown. “What happened last week and how we go forward doesn’t serve any purpose to air it out publicly. It’s better served, once things settle down, to be settled internally.”’

‘“I regret that it didn’t work out,” Donahoe said. “I can’t say anything publicly bad about the guy except we didn’t win enough football games.”’

The Bills have called a 4:15 PM press conference today in the media room of the team’s training facility in Orchard Park.

‘But Williams’ inability to develop an improved roster into a playoff contender played a part in the team’s decision. The Bills played below Donahoe’s expectations this season, after bolstering the defense with free-agent additions such as linebacker Takeo Spikes, tackle Sam Adams and safety Lawyer Milloy. “We have regressed, and I didn’t have confidence we could turn that around,” Donahoe said.’

‘He’ll be fired, in part, because he wasn’t a good sideline coach. On game day, Williams, 17-31 in his three seasons, was undermined by fundamentally flawed decisions, ill-considered challenges and poor clock management. But the area most responsible for his pink slip ultimately will be in selecting offensive assistants.’

‘”He took more bullets than a ’30 Packard in one of those Al Capone movies, and I don’t think it was fair,” Donahoe said. “I think some other people on our team should have stood up (for him), some of our coaches should have stood up.”‘

‘What’s the lasting impression of this season? “Underachieving, underachievers, period.”‘

‘”I wanted to play. They asked me not to play, and I respected that,” Brown told The Buffalo News. “I never quit. I’m sure everyone who comes to the games, knows me or played with me knows I never quit. . . . Even when things that weren’t that good for me, I’ve never quit. I’m pretty sure the fans of Buffalo know that. I’ve always been willing to stand up if I didn’t have a good game or play as well as I thought . . . I remember Jim Kelly telling me, “Hey, you don’t have to tell everybody when you have a bad game.’ “‘

‘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.”‘