Two Bills Drive

‘”You hear about how many fourth-quarter comebacks that a guy has and I think it means a guy screwed up in the first three quarters,” said Manning, clearly unimpressed with his first 45 minutes at the office. “But I’ve been in enough of those situations and we did a good job of being patient.”‘

‘Mungro was speaking in the cramped, humid Colts locker room. About 20 feet away, Marvin Harrison encamped at his single stall. Around the corner, Dwight Freeney was pulling on a silky gray dress shirt. Indianapolis hasassumed a sort of Syracuse West. All three players starred for Syracuse University and now all three contribute to a Colts team making plans for the playoffs.’

‘The temperature at kickoff was 70 degrees, and Buffalo’s fourth-ranked defense played with a stubborn ferocity that tested the visitors’ poise and resourcefulness. The Colts held on. Their defense kept them close. Their offense put together a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives. Then their defense put it away.’

‘If anybody was still wondering why the Colts are 9-2 and going places, here was a reminder. They make plays. They make plays like these.’

‘”It’s tough when you get down there and it looks so tempting to throw the ball. But I felt Edge was running (well), hitting the holes hard all day.”‘

‘The Colts showed no sympathy. They attacked Bledsoe. “He’s not the most mobile guy,” said Colts linebacker Rob Morris. “His game is standing back there and picking you apart.” So the Colts blitzed almost every play during the first half. Often as not, they brought two extra defenders.’

‘Instead of “The Shining,” King’s 1977 novel adapted for the big screen, the Bills’ version could be called “The Shaming.”‘

‘By game’s end, it was easier to count the number of plays that didn’t include Harrison. The Colts snapped 73 plays in their 17-14 victory over the Buffalo Bills, and, by unofficial count, Harrison was on the field for 63 of them.’

‘”Kansas City and Green Bay are pretty special for tailgating,” Johnson said, “but Buffalo is the best tailgating in the NFL.”‘

‘As bad as the Bills offense is, they really can run the ball, so the Colts get high marks for keeping Travis Henry under control. This doesn’t mean the concerns about the run defense have disappeared. But for one week, things didn’t seem quite so dire.’

‘Moorman, who struggled to find a job for a few years, has firmly established himself with the Bills.’

‘The Colts improved to 5-1 on the road this season, and Sunday’s game was the second time this season they have overcome a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to win.’

‘James rushed for 50 yards on 13 fourth-quarter carries, helping the Colts score on each of their fourth-quarter drives.’

‘Bratzke nearly sacked Bledsoe and hit him hard enough that Bledsoe laid on the ground several seconds after the play. Bratzke said it was simply his turn to make a play for a defense that has had players make key plays late in games throughout the season.’

‘Temperature at kickoff of today’s game was 70 degrees making it the warmest November Bills home game since game time temperatures were added to play-by-play sheets in 1965.’