Two Bills Drive

‘The record is 5-7, they’re three games out of an AFC wild-card berth, but that hasn’t stopped the buzz about the Jets making another late-season run to the postseason.’

‘Bills QB Alex Van Pelt was tutored by Jets Offensive Coordinator Paul Hackett at the University of Pittsburgh. While Hackett was head coach and offensive coordinator at Pitt, BUF Pro Bowl G Ruben Brown and Jets RB Curtis Martin and Van Pelt were all members of the same squad.’

‘He almost sounded envious of the team Buffalo faces Sunday. “A little bit,” Moulds acknowledged.’

The Bills put up a total of 35 points in four games, against the Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans and Colts, losing those last three by a combined total of just nine points. That’s the mark either of a team just a smidge away from being playoff-competitive, or a team so inefficient it can’t get out of its own way.

‘Conway’s game against Tennessee was perhaps his best of the season, as he had five receptions for 78 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown from Chad Pennington on which Conway dragged both feet in the end zone.’

‘Monday’s win over Tennessee was one of the Jets’ best defensive performances of the season, although coach Herman Edwards also was impressed with the 30-3 win over Buffalo in the teams’ first meeting Oct. 12. “I think the game against Buffalo was pretty good, too,” he said, “because we got four turnovers.” Tennessee rushed for 84 yards and Buffalo had 53 two months ago, marking the only games this season in which the Jets have held their opponent under 100 yards on the ground.’

‘In the red zone, Pennington has 27 TD passes and no interceptions.’

‘McGahee has been practicing with the team since Nov. 5. He has been medically cleared to play since that time and has not encountered any swelling or physical problems with his reconstructed left knee. The first couple weeks of practice he was showing slight signs of favoring the knee, particularly at the end of runs. But he has looked strong the past two weeks of practice and has withstood hits from defenders without a problem.’

‘With a month to play starting Sunday at home against the New York Jets, Gray’s defense ranks No. 3 in net yards, yards per play and points allowed. Players make it clear they’ll be disappointed if they don’t finish first. ” To me, the guys we brought in helped the guys we had here and we changed things around from last year,” said Gray, whose unit ranked 20th a year ago at this time. ” This year, the guys came in with enough enthusiasm to say, ‘ Hey, let’s see if we can go where we want to go.’ The hard part is that the record doesn’t show it, but the guys are playing hard and we still have goals to accomplish.”‘

‘”It will be tough playing up in Buffalo, in that weather,” Cowart said: “I was there four years and never played in a snow game. But it was cold. We used to say that when teams from the South came up to play us and then went in at halftime, they wouldn’t want to come back out.”‘

‘It is no coincidence that the Jets defense has made marked improvements in stopping the run since Evans came back two games ago – even though he is still playing a reserve role. The loss of Evans, a passionate player, to a league-mandated substance-abuse suspension was compared by some defensive players to the offense losing a quarterback. With the Jets making a desperate run at the playoffs, Evans and the defense have to keep the pressure on the Bills at Buffalo tomorrow.’

‘”Those guys are huge on their defensive line,” Mawae said. “They can stop anyone when they have a good day. You can’t move them.”‘

‘Curtis Conway is starting to learn what Santana Moss – and Laveranues Coles before him – already know. If you get open, Chad Pennington will find a way to get you the ball.’

‘”Whenever I get asked that question — when people ask why I don’t make good plays, or have the stats I had in Buffalo, my response is, ‘I’m not in Buffalo. I’m in New York.'”‘

‘But now in an ironic twist, a Jets back on his way to Canton is about to step on Buffalo’s field on a December day and run past Simpson. Barring an unforeseen circumstance, Curtis Martin will pass Simpson on the all-time list Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium since he needs just 7 yards to do it.’