Two Bills Drive

‘What Reese saw on TV on Sunday was both encouraging and concerning. After scoring 69 points while winning in its first two games – including a mauling of the same Patriots team that handled the Eagles – Buffalo suffered a 17-7 loss to Miami. ”They’re definitely beatable,” Reese said. ”After the first two weeks, they looked like world-beaters, headed for the Super Bowl.”’

‘"I can’t say enough about the people here," Modrak said. "Obviously Tom and I know each other well and that makes for a comfortable situation. But Greg (head coach Williams) is good to work with, and I can’t say enough about (owner) Ralph Wilson. He’s an old-school guy who wants to win. You tell him what you want to do, and he says, `If it’s going to work, do it.’ "’

‘”It’s a long season,” Bills fullback Sam Gash said. “We have 13 more games to play, so we’re going to watch the film and correct our mistakes and move on. We got Philly this week, so that’s what we’re going to do.”‘

‘"Buffalo never got a chance to get into a rhythm," Reese said. "They were out there, and the big plays weren’t there for them. Miami’s defense was fresh the whole night, and they were able to get after those guys."’

‘"All I did was jump up and down all day after we beat San Diego," Janik said. "We all had a good game. We whipped the dog out of them."’

‘Sunday’s game could be a prime opportunity for the Eagles to get their running game going. Miami’s Ricky Williams rushed for 153 yards on 42 carries against the Bills, wearing down the defense and showing they’re vulnerable against the run. ”I’m going to try and make something happen,” Buckhalter said. ”Of course, I feel like if I’m in the game I can make something happen.”’

‘"We were really focused," said Surtain. "We were hearing it all the last couple of weeks that [the defensive backs] had lost it and the D-line not getting pressure. We took it as a challenge. For those guys in Buffalo to come out and talk some junk about that they wished that we played man-to-man and they would embarrass us, we took it personal because we’ve got some great players on our defense."’

‘Sometimes losses can be good. It’s called a reality check. The Bills were given the ultimate reality check by their arch rivals. Now the question becomes how will they respond.’

‘Hopefully, Bledsoe’s nightmare game was an aberration.’

‘”When they do that,” Bledsoe said of the Dolphins’ emphasis on stopping the run, “we’ve got to throw it more effectively that we did. “But we’ve also got to get our running game going.” And soon.’

‘For the record, against the Jaguars and Dolphins combined, Buffalo’s running backs have an anemic 79 yards on 41 carries. That’s under two yards a carry, if you’re wondering.’

‘The most-likely scenario, if Henry is unavailable, would have Burns inserted into the starting lineup for the first time in his two-year career and finding another backup. It’s very unlikely the Bills would enter the game with only Burns and Gash.’

‘The Bills would never come out and say they drafted McGahee because they were concerned whether Henry can endure over the long haul. But that consideration might have been part of their reasoning, and a sound part of it at that. Henry, at 5-foot-9, 215 pounds, is on the smallish side for a feature back, especially one who relishes contact, thrives on breaking tackles, lacks the gift of breakaway speed and has had past problems retaining the ball. On his best day he’s a reminder of Thurman Thomas, but the inconsistencies also point toward Joe Cribbs or Greg Bell, backs who sizzled, but only temporarily.’

‘Buffalo’s off-season master plan of building a team capable of playing physical – running the ball and stopping the run – to ease the pressure on Bledsoe has fallen off the tracks three games in.’

‘How about arrested for impersonating an NFL lineman? You’ve got a 370-pound wall in Williams, yet you’re tossing halfback option passes near the goal line. That doesn’t say much about the faith the coaches have in him, and nobody can give a good explanation for why he doesn’t play left tackle if he’s supposedly so good.’