Two Bills Drive

‘The two teams meet again Sunday in western New York and the atmosphere will be decidedly different this time around for the Bengals. Once again, the Bengals are coming off a win. Unlike last season, however, the Bengals have a real belief that they can win this game and many more down the line.’

‘Showers are expected today but it should be dry during Sunday’s game with temperatures in the low 50s.’

‘The running game needs to get up and moving. Whether it’s Travis Henry or Joe Burns, Buffalo can’t survive on just the passing game no matter how good Drew Bledsoe and Eric Moulds are.’

‘The Bengals downgraded the condition of three players Friday. Tailback Corey Dillon (groin strain), wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hamstring) and linebacker Riall Johnson (calf) were all listed as doubtful – meaning there is only a 25 percent chance of them playing Sunday at Buffalo.’

‘With their offense struggling for seven quarters, the Bills went to the no-huddle offense in the fourth quarter last week, and it helped to produce a pair of touchdowns.’

‘”You’re not going to surprise them with anything. You’re going to have to play sound football.”‘

‘Buffalo quarterback Drew Bledsoe isn’t the most mobile. He has been sacked eight times this season. The opportunity is there for Williams and ends Justin Smith and Duane Clemons to get to Bledsoe. But that plan starts with taking away the Bills’ running game and pushing the middle of their line into the backfield.’

‘”It’s always easy to beat up on the offensive line,” Brown said the other day.’

‘You see, 28-year-old Lux and 37-year-old Stritzel are from Germany, and while it can’t be officially proven, they are very likely the biggest Bills fans in all of Europe. “I just loved the power and the color of this logo,” Lux said. “I fell in love like that (snapping his fingers) and I’ve been a Bills fan ever since.”‘

‘Winfield has 39 tackles, including eight for loss. He and Clements are responsible for holding opposing quarterbacks to a 58.7 passer rating, an AFC low. "They’ve got their head in the backfield, they’re looking at the quarterback, and they’re going to take chances," Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna said. "The one (Winfield) is small, but pound for pound, he hits pretty good. You don’t want to challenge him."’

‘Who’s your pick to win the World Series?

"It doesn’t matter now with the Seattle Mariners out of it."

‘Prediction. Bledose wakes up. Gilbride remembers to call some running plays. Takeo Spikes flies all over the field. The Bengals are better, but not this Sunday.’

‘"It’s big; it’s real big," Spikes said. "Just to know where I’ve come from, knowing where I’m at now, and knowing where I want to go, that’s how big an emotional game this game is going to be for me."’

‘Sunday, October 5, 1980 – Bills 26, San Diego 24….Kush’s heroics enabled the Bills to win their first game on the West Coast since 1966 and to return home as professional football’s only undefeated team.’

‘LeBeau seems forever tagged as “great assistant, bad head coach,” yet Kitna thinks LeBeau can still be an excellent head man, “but he needs a team that has veteran leadership that steps up and says, ‘You can’t do it like this.’ Everyone says he wasn’t a strong disciplinarian,” Kitna said. “To me, that says we didn’t have the right leadership in the locker room. Ultimately, he shouldn’t have to be the disciplinarian. If you talk to guys on other teams, the 49ers back in the day, they take care of a lot of things through the veterans.”‘