Two Bills Drive

Thirty-one years ago, wide receiver J.D. Hill led Arizona State to an undefeated season. He was named to the All-America team and was MVP of the Senior Bowl. Yet surprisingly, he didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about the NFL and certainly wasn’t sitting next to the telephone during that year’s draft.

‘Just how the Bills go about defending the National Football League’s most dangerous big-play receiver will go a long way toward deciding Sunday’s meeting of 0-1 teams.’

‘"I was driving to work this morning and one of the things I noticed is a lot of people had their American flags out and it just reiterated how proud I am to be an American," said linebacker London Fletcher. "It makes you realize what things are most important to you, which is family."’

The Bills defense will make a bigger difference. I like their two physical corners, Nate Clements and Antoine Winfield. They have the potential to take Randy Moss out of the game. If they can, they can beat the Vikings. However, I think Eric Moulds will have a big day for Buffalo. And the Bills should still run the ball with success against the Vikings after what Travis Henry did last week. Moss may get his yards, but Buffalo’s defense is more capable of having an impact than Minnesota’s.

Buffalo over Minnesota. Watch out for the Bills’ offense. Travis Henry appears ready to break out as a premier power back and Drew Bledsoe looks very comfortable with Eric Moulds as his go-to-guy. And Bills cornerbacks Antoine Winfield and Nate Clements can slow down Randy Moss and the Vikings’ receivers. Bills 26, Vikings 24.

Granted, Buffalo probably is one draft away from being a winner again, but the Bills will cause people trouble this season. I think they can beat Chicago in three weeks. I think they can beat the Raiders the next weekend, too. What I don’t think is that they can make the playoffs. Not yet, anyway.

‘"I re-examined my priorities and how I was approaching my life, especially with respect to my children. It was a hard time to have to have a conversation with your kid who is not yet 4 years old, and try to explain how something like this would happen. It was not a conversation I was hoping to have with my son."’

‘"We will take a look at that in depth this week, yes," Williams said.’

‘He had studied his film, lifted his weights, completed his on-field practicing. Now it was time for Buffalo Bills tight end David Moore to do the really important work of the day. Go home and comfort a grieving wife.’

‘"When you go through today, you have some of those same feelings that you had a year ago and I don’t think we’ll ever forget," he said.’

‘Clements wouldn’t make any predictions about this weekend, only to say: ”The proof will be in the pudding. You walk the walk and you don’t worry about the talking.”‘

Ben Williams was in a word – refreshing, when he joined the Bills in 1976. Selected in the third round out of the University of Mississippi, the All-Southeastern Conference defensive lineman didn’t arrive in Buffalo with the attitude that the NFL deserved him or vice-versa.

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe threw a crushing block on Jets 305-pound defensive tackle Jason Ferguson on a reverse to wide receiver Peerless Price in Buffalo's first drive Sunday.

‘The game will be televised by CBS (Channel 4 in the Twin Cities) with Brent Jones and Gus Johnson calling the action.’

‘The Gallivans were joined for the campaign kickoff on the 20-yard-line by Buffalo Bills president and General Manager Tom Donahoe, Bills offensive guard Ruben Brown, United Way President Arlene F. Kaukus and more than 30 United Way volunteers plus staff members. Brown, the Bills’ United Way spokesman, will appear in this year’s National Football League-United Way commercial for the Bills.’