Two Bills Drive

‘”We’re 4-4 and we’ve got eight more games to go,” said Brown. “We could easily finish the season out with only four losses. That’s a great possibility.”‘

‘Q: What was the last movie you saw?

SA: Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’

‘Join Democrat and Chronicle columnist Scott Pitoniak for a Bills chat at 12:30 p.m. today.’

Head coach Jay Sirianni of Southwestern High School has been named the Buffalo Bills’ high school football “Coach of the Week” for the ninth weekend of the 2003 season (Oct. 31-Nov. 1). Sirianni led Southwestern (8-1) to a 12-6 upset victory in overtime over previously undefeated Depew HS in a Section VI Federation Class B semi-final playoff game last Friday night at Depew.

‘Ryan and Gilbride never hit it off, which wasn’t a surprise. There weren’t many people on Ryan’s buddy list, nor was Ryan on many others. “Buddy thinks he’s right with everything he says and everything he does,” said Wade Phillips, former head coach of the Bills, while he was still coach of the Broncos. “That’s him.”‘

‘”I’ve been saying all along that this is a marathon,” Adams said. “I’ve seen teams go 8-2 and not make the playoffs. We’re in this thing for the long haul and right now we’re sitting in the middle of the pack. We’re getting ready to put our kick in like Seabiscuit.”‘

‘The deal gives Xerox signage throughout Ralph Wilson Stadium, category exclusivity and advertising in Bills publications and hospitality on game days. Xerox will also be a sponsor of the Bills’ 2004 training camp.’

‘Trouble is, in this season of great expectations, the Bills are one game worse that last year’s edition which, after a 5-3 start, struggled home 3-5 and missed the playoffs by a win.’

‘While Wilson and general manager Tom Donahoe both have showed some support for the embattled Williams this week, nobody in Buffalo is unaware of how much is at stake in the coming eight weeks. Williams is a good coach and a good man, and his players continue to play hard for him, but it’s clear that he has struggled with how to consistently and correctly push his team’s buttons in his two and a half seasons on the job.’

The only thing the Bills have done to prove me right was trouncing the Patriots in the opener — and I have long maintained that the first game of the season can be the most misleading. The Bills have plenty of talent, but anyone who watched them look thoroughly overmatched in Kansas City on Sunday night must concede that they’re something missing in Buffalo. Coach Gregg Williams will need at least a strong second half to survive.

‘”Being that we’re 4-4 and we just lost a pretty big game in a big way, there is more attention to detail and more focus at the couple of practices we have,” said Milloy. “We need to iron out some of the things we’ve been doing wrong that have been putting us in adverse situations.”‘

‘However, we will probably never find out if Gregg Williams could have been a good coach in Buffalo, because I believe he has his hands tied, and has had too much of his power taken away.’

I saw a team lacking an identity on offense or defense, and as a result, lacking the fire and passion of a team that believes in itself and is committed to excellence.

Tom Donohoe did the right thing in giving his head coach the vote of confidence. Gregg Williams works for him. He gave him the public support he deserves. If Donohoe has a problem with the way his coach is doing his job, he’ll handle it the professional way. He’ll tell him about it in private and if he’s not satisfied, take care of it at the end of the season.

Coach: Rick Tomberlin; School: Washington County HS; City: Sandersville, GA