Two Bills Drive

‘A long-standing National Football League policy has sacked a successful fund-raising venture at Ralph Wilson Stadium that benefits the non-profit Heritage Centers.’

‘If the Bills improve on last season’s 8-8 record, it will be on the legs of Spikes and the girth of Adams, a free-agent acquisition from the Oakland Raiders, as much as on the arm of quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who enters his second season in Buffalo.’

‘Centers was considered a locker room leader in Buffalo, where he played the past two seasons. But the Bills did not re-sign him, feeling his best days were behind him. Centers caught 43 passes for 388 yards last season, bringing his career totals to 808 catches and 6,691 yards. Before landing in Buffalo, he played nine seasons with the Cardinals and two with the Redskins.’

‘“It’s just good to get with a team that has a chance to win it all,” said the 14-year veteran last night. “There’s a good chance this is my last shot at it. I’ve watched their offense for years and I’ve always liked the way they used their backs out of the backfield. I spoke to Charlie Weis (the Pats offensive coordinator) and he told me that they tailor their offense to their personnel not the other way around. It was music to my ears.”’

‘Tom Donahoe came into Buffalo two years ago as the Bills’ general manager, bit the bullet and got the team out of salary-cap jail. Believe me, that’s not an easy thing to do. But after going 3-13 in 2002 and coming back with an 8-8 record last season, the reconstruction of the once-proud franchise is under way.’

‘Chris Kelsay- This guy is a mountain. I didn’t know husking corn was such a good workout. This guys biceps are as big as my head. Looks very quick off the line and has good form. Handled the second string with ease, never saw him against the first. If Jones thinks he has the starting position locked up he is mistaken.’

”’Right now, if I was another defensive guy, I would say, ‘Make them prove that they can beat us with the running game,”’ he said. ”It’s, ‘Can you win running the ball?’ And if we can, then they have to defend that and it’ll open up the opportunities for us throwing the ball again.”’

‘"Radio is more of a challenge," Miller said. "You have to paint a word picture. Television is easy. The picture tells the story for you. But it’s different in radio. You have to give your listeners the feeling as if they were there."’

‘While Graves is out, the Bills will shift assignments among their assistants. Running backs coach Les Steckel will coach the wide receivers. Offensive assistant and special teams coach Tommy Kaiser will coach running backs, along with former NFL running back Barry Foster, who is assisting at Bills camp as part of the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship Program.’

‘As a public service for those who plan to visit the team’s training camp at St. John Fisher College and later to assess the performances in the preseason games, we offer this guide to things to watch…’.

‘Obviously, having a consistent running game will help Moulds’ cause. But Gilbride’s game plans will play the biggest role in what kind of season Moulds has.’

‘If die-hard Buffalo Bills fans could have spent 10 minutes watching and listening to Takeo Spikes on Saturday afternoon, they probably would have jumped in their car, driven directly to Ralph Wilson Stadium and started camping out for the Sept. 7 season opener against New England.’

‘Tickets for $5 are on sale now for the Browns scrimmage against the Buffalo Bills at 10 a.m. Saturday at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Call Ticketmaster at 216-241-5555.’

‘” I think moreso it’s not that I was needed (by the Bills), but how much I needed them,” Spikes said. ” It’s a good tradeoff.”‘

‘Undrafted in large part because he’s small (5-foot-8, 191 pounds), Simonton didn’t have a spot in football last fall after he was cut in mini-camp by the San Francisco 49ers. ” When you don’t get into camp, trying to get into this league is a monster,” Simonton said. ” It’s like one team doesn’t want you until they find out another team likes you.”‘