Two Bills Drive

‘Simonton, who appeared in two games earlier in the season, fills the roster vacancy that was created when wide receiver Sam Aiken was placed on Injured Reserve earlier this week.’

‘Despite these deficiencies, the Bills play hard on both offense and defense. The last three losses – to the Cowboys, Texans and Colts – were by a total of nine points.’

‘Terrence McGee: Being able to play in the NFL.’

‘Bledsoe was in an upbeat mood Friday, joking that the fuzziness allow him to play better than he has during a nine-game slump in which he’s thrown eight interceptions and three touchdowns. “Maybe I’m off just enough to make some better decisions,” Bledsoe said, smiling.’

The third-year punter has been outstanding for the Bills in 2003. His 45.5-yard average ranks third in the NFL and his 37.5 net ranks fifth. In weeks 12 and 13, he had a total of eight punts downed inside-the-20 (four per game). The club single-game record is five in-the-20 and no Bills player has ever had four in consecutive games. In addition, three of his six punts vs. Indy were downed inside-the-10, including one at the 1-yard line.

‘”It’s my nature,” Fletcher said. “Rarely do I wake up in a bad mood. I live by the philosophy that tomorrow will be a brighter day. We’re having tough times right now, but I know the good times are ahead of us. Hopefully, it will start this Sunday.”‘

‘”Yesterday, I was feeling some symptoms from a head hit I took in the game so I figured it would be wise to go get it checked out,” Bledsoe said. “I was feeling a little dizzy, a little nauseated, had a little vision problem, but it seems to be getting back to normal and I anticipate playing in the game.”‘

‘Kicker Rian Lindell, who generally has been very reliable in his first year with the team, has missed three 3-pointers the past two weeks, the difference in a two-point loss to Houston and a three-point loss to Indianapolis.’

‘Shockey, the Giants’ voluble tight end, spent practice getting treatment on his injured left knee, a setback from last Monday when Shockey appeared ready to bolster the Giants’ thinning corps of receivers against Tampa Bay. But his knee swelled badly after his pregame workout, and he was not ready to play. He hopes to return Sunday at home against Buffalo.’

‘”Once I got clean,” he continued, “I remember thinking, `I got sober for this?’ But somebody told me: `Take one problem at a time. You can’t handle all your problems at once. Take one, knock it down. Another one, knock it down.’ That’s what I did. I never thought I’d get rid of ’em all. But one case got settled, then another got settled, then another, and it was over. I didn’t have to worry about nobody stopping me.”‘

‘The Giants have completed 28 passes for 20 yards or longer, as opposed to the 42 they have allowed. Only four of those gains have come in the last three weeks. To date, they’ve hit nine passes of 30 or more yards.’

‘Fassel said Shockey’s status is now day-to-day for Sunday’s game against the Bills, a far cry from the optimism of earlier in the week when Fassel sounded all-but assured that Shockey was ready to return.’

‘”You know, I think once you lose that aggressiveness, then you really have problems,” Collins said. “There’s no question I made some bad choices, but at the same time I go into a game, I try to see it, throw it. Obviously there was a couple of times what I saw wasn’t what I needed to see. It’s kind of like at times, damned if you do, damned if you don’t. You’ve got to stay aggressive and I’ll continue to do that.”‘

‘Shockey said he wanted to play against the Bucs because he knew one more loss would essentially end the Giants’ playoff hopes. But he said he still wants to play down the stretch. “We have really nothing to play for, but I love playing with these guys,” he said.’

‘It has been a startling fall for the former Heisman Trophy winner, who is major college football’s career rushing leader and was the 11th pick in the 2000 draft. He has not dressed for a game this season.’