Two Bills Drive

‘Fans in many cities with National Football League and National Hockey League franchises wish they were in the same situation as Buffalo. Buffalo, a city filled with pessimists and critics about most things, including their sports franchises, have every reason to be positive about the Buffalo Bills and now, with its new ownership, the Buffalo Sabres.’

‘In other words, the Dolphins, not the Bills, are better-equipped to play the “good old-fashioned football” Williams speaks of.’

”’Yes and no. I mean, I’m happy to be on the East coast and in Buffalo. It’s a great organization with a lot of history, but no way did I expect us to be 5-6 right now. I expected much better. Coming off the bye, we had it rolling and I thought we’d be two games in first place by now. It’s tough when you know that you’re better than what you’re performing.”’

‘The Buffalo Bills’ fading playoff hopes are on week-to-week life support.’

‘”It’s all on them,” Bills safety Pierson Prioleau told the Buffalo News about today’s guests, the Miami Dolphins. “They’re in 80-to 85-degree weather, chillin’, having fun in the sun. They come up here where it’s going to be about 20 degrees with the wind blowing and snow in the air.”‘

‘”Because we are a Buffalo must-carry market, we had to carry them regardless,” Herwood says. “That was kind of disappointing to ourselves and to our audience.”‘

‘In three of Miami’s four losses, the Dolphins allowed 100 or more yards rushing. In the fourth loss, to the New York Jets, Miami allowed 97 yards rushing.’

‘With 11 sacks in 11 games, he leads the 7-4 Dolphins into a critical game against the 5-6 Buffalo Bills at 1 p.m. today at Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘Although the issue at hand is whether Anthony Taylor reached for his gun, the underlying question is how did he and his adoptive son, Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, get to this point in their relationship?’

‘For several weeks, Taylor has been as good as anyone.’

‘In no time, the Dolphins’ 1989 season got off on the wrong foot.’

‘The weather is very changeable at this time of the year, and that can mean wind and the freezing cold that comes with it. That’s Bills weather, and they’re used to it. Buffalo has lost two in a row, but it will always get up for the Dolphins. Edge: Bills.’

‘This week, however, he has read a clipping from The Buffalo News. The last time the Dolphins played the Bills, Taylor was held without a sack, and left tackle Jonas Jennings was given, he feels, too much credit. After all, Drew Bledsoe was sacked five times, even if Taylor did not pick up one of them.’

‘With 46 seconds left in the first quarter of last year’s game at Buffalo, Mark Dixon’s right fibula snapped. Ligaments were torn. His season, if not career, was over, that much he knew.’

‘Lucas, meanwhile, will be much more prepared to face the Bills this time. He has played increasingly better each week since that Buffalo game and played particularly well against the Chargers last Sunday.’