Two Bills Drive

‘The Patriots picked off four Drew Bledsoe passes but the biggest turnover they forced was the fumble by Peerless Price early in the fourth quarter, when the Bills had already scored twice and were embarking on their third drive of the second half. The Pats recovered on the Buffalo 28, and their subsequent touchdown put them back in charge at 27-10.’

‘Bledsoe? He was alone to stew in his frustration, and maybe even a bit of self-doubt, after throwing four interceptions, three of them into the jagged teeth of a Patriots defense that repeatedly shredded his overeager bid to rescue his team from a 17-0 second-quarter deficit. Just the way coach Bill Belichick planned it when he traded Bledsoe to the Bills in April for a No.1 draft choice.’

‘Seymour caught the deflection on the Bills 15, and was tackled at the 9. Two plays later, the Patriots scored to take a 17-0 lead on their way to a 27-17 victory over Bledsoe’s Bills.’

‘”Every game I’ve ever played, I’ve taken personally,” Bledsoe said. “And this one, more than most. The turnovers I had fall heavily on my shoulders.” We’ve heard that one before, and the solace for Patriots fans is to be found in two words. Tom Brady.’

‘ If Drew Bledsoe was frustrated by how Bill Belichick treated him last season, then he must really be beside himself over the way he has been treated this season.’

‘”They had a couple of runs to the outside, but I think we did a good job, controlling their inside running game,” said Patriots defensive tackle Richard Seymour, who had four tackles, shared a sack and had an interception. “And if you can’t get your inside running game started, it’s usually a long day.”‘

‘New England won the opening coin toss and took the ball, but Buffalo still wound up going against the wind. Apparently no one picked a direction, so referee Jeff Triplette figured the Bills wanted to attack the goal they were facing. When Drew Bledsoe tried to change that, it was too late.’

‘Belichick’s plan was simple. Much like the Nov. 3 game against the Bills in Orchard Park – a 38-7 Patriots’ win – New England utilized its pass rush to force Bledsoe into quick throws. By taking him out of his element, they eliminated his ability to hurt them with big plays and they were opportunistic when he made mistakes.’

‘It was the defense. That goes for both sides. One team showed up to play. The other team just got out-played.’

‘New England scored on its first four drives against the Bills.’

‘”We figured we could put pressure on him, get pressure in his face off the edges and that would help us a lot defensively,” said Pats cornerback Otis Smith, who forced a fumble for a fifth Bills turnover. “Guys did a good job of putting pressure on him and making him hold the ball longer than he wanted to.”‘

‘”There is no question that every game I’ve ever played in I’ve taken personally,” said Bledsoe, now in his 10th season. “This one, even more than most. I have to be more precise for this offense to be more precise.”‘

‘From the time Bledsoe and the Bills lost the coin toss – and his Bills called the wrong direction to defend – to the last of his four interceptions, it was a nightmare.’

‘”I think a few of those throws (Drew) would like to get back,” Bills coach Gregg Williams said. “We shot ourselves in the foot. We weren’t able to overcome our mistakes.”‘

‘Jones said the Patriots noted a Buffalo tendency to pass on second down when close to the goal line. “It was one of the plays they ran in practice,” Jones said of New England’s coaching staff. “Practice makes perfect.”‘