Two Bills Drive

‘The Dolphins wasted Williams’ effort with two critical fumbles and an interception that the Bills turned into 21 points. Miami could blame the loss on coaching, quarterbacks, defensive backs and just about anybody other than their star running back. After all, would anybody have predicted he would have piled up so many yards with the snow falling horizontally . . . and the Dolphins would lose?’

‘You almost expected to see Dan Marino and Don Shula at the podium afterward, explaining away the loss.’

‘Bills fans thought Gregg Williams had lost his mind when he punted from the New England 32 four weeks ago, early in the third quarter, trailing by 10. Overly conservative, that was. Wannstedt did Williams twice worse.’

‘Kelly was all over the Bills’ sidelines firing up the fans and players. Imagine Price’s surprise to be mugged by Kelly after his 73-yard touchdown in the third quarter.’

‘Play of the Game: Aaron Schobel unloaded on Dolphins quarterback Ray Lucas on a fourth-and-4 play into the wind late in the second quarter, forcing a fumble that Chidi Ahanotu returned to the Miami 31-yard-line. Four plays later, Bledsoe found Peerless Price in the end zone and the Bills had a 17-14 lead.’

‘Almost all of Western New York got a taste of lake-effect snow Sunday.

So did millions of viewers watching the Buffalo Bills-Miami Dolphins football game, which was whited out in the fourth quarter as the squalls moved in and pasted Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park.’

‘Of the victory, Bledsoe, who threw for 306 yards despite the weather, said, “It means we need to keep winning. We will enjoy this one, but the bottom line is that if we want to get into this race at the end we need to keep winning.”‘

‘After three weeks spent in the Witness Protection Program, the Bills’ offense regained its identity, its swagger.’

‘Not only will they have to win at least three of those four, they’re going to need other teams to knock off the Dolphins, Patriots and Jets. But I can’t sit here and say that it can’t happen because in this league, anything is possible.’

‘Defensive coordinator Jerry Gray limited Chris Watson’s liability and played Jason Bostic on key passing downs.’

‘”I saw them wear out. They just started getting frozen over there. At the end of the game, they couldn’t even talk.”‘

‘So how could the Miami Dolphins employ the perfect cold-weather strategy and still get thumped 38-21 by the Buffalo Bills?’

‘Winter has returned and, just like the old days, so too have the Bills’ National Football League playoff hopes and, maybe, a little bit of their missing mojo.’

”’Man, we talk about it all the time,” linebacker Zach Thomas said. “You get tired of saying it. I’m sure people are tired of hearing it, but we keep doing it. It’s frustrating.”’

”’The way the Dolphins play is that they try to challenge you a bit,” Bledsoe said. “They try to get their safeties up involved in the running game a little bit. They play man coverage outside, and that allows us to have more of an opportunity to work the ball down the field."’