Two Bills Drive

‘If the Bills fail to make the playoffs, it won’t be the team’s eight starters in their first or second year who will take the blame. It’ll be the guys who’ve been down this path.’

‘If Washington decides Smith no longer is a fit, might the Bills consider bringing him back at a modest salary for a final season?’

‘Cold and artificial turf aside, Nails is looking forward to his Buffalo return. ”I feel I have something to prove,” he said. “I feel like I’m always under the microscope, somebody’s always watching me.”’

‘Carter met with his doctor before practice and received some encouraging news in his battle back from kidney problems. Carter’s tests improved and he might play on Sunday.’

‘No Dolphins team of recent vintage has been as suited for this final slippery stretch as this one. It has a healthy roster, with 20 of 22 starters available, Jay Fiedler ready to return and Cris Carter close. It finally has a bruising runner in Ricky Williams, who realizes he was acquired to plow a path over Miami’s past. And it has a defense fresh following the time-draining work Williams has done from September through November.’

‘A sign in the Dolphins’ locker room carried this message: "Buffalo forecast is for snow. When packing your bags, please be sure to have a pair of Destroyers if you are a Nike contract player. If you are a Reebok contract player, be sure to have Wet Turf Rat shoes. It would be a good idea to begin breaking them in today." "Destroyers" and "Wet Turf Rats" are models of shoes specifically designed for wet Astroturf-type surfaces.’

‘Coach Dave Wannstedt said Marion’s back started to tighten up Thursday, which is why he was held out of practice. If Marion is unable to start against the Bills then Shawn Wooden would take his place.’

‘It has been years since Doug Goodwin has felt this strong. He gets around well now, and travels to see his son play at Boston College whenever he can. The only problem is that even with the help he received from his old pals in Buffalo, he has run up $300,000 in medical expenses and has to pay another $3,000 per month for medication. Doug Jr. considered passing up his senior year at Boston College to enter the NFL draft, but Goodwin has discouraged that idea. He says he wants his son to get his degree.’

‘Dolphins free safety Brock Marion might be sidelined for Sunday’s game at Buffalo because of back spasms.’

Thursday, November 24, 1994: Lions 35, Bills 21

The Lions scored on a flea-flicker on the second play of the game as Detroit handed the Bills their fourth straight road loss, 35-21 on Thanksgiving Day. WR Herman Moore was the recipient of the flea-flicker, a 51-yard pass from QB Dave Kreig at 14:13 of the first quarter. RB Barry Sanders put the Lions up 14-0 early in the second half on a four-yard run. WR Russell Copeland caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from QB Jim Kelly in the second quarter to bring the Bills within 14-7.

In East Brady, Pennsylvania, where I grew up, football was our town's whole life. You ate, slept, lived, and died football, whether it was playing a pick-up game in the backyard or watching the Steelers — or whatever game we could find — on television.

Fullback Phllip Crosby was the latest member of the Bills roster to sit down with buffalobills.com for the Two Minute Drill. Read what the second-year player from Tennessee had to say about his teammates.

‘When it comes to red-zone rankings, the Bills are just rank. They are next to last in the NFL in that all-important area.’

‘The forecast calls for snow and wind with temperatures in the 20s at the 1 p.m. kickoff.’

‘But by completing 51 of 77 attempts for 642 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions over the past three weeks — jacking up his passer rating from 48.6 to 100.7 and Miami’s record from 5-4 to 7-4 — Lucas has his swagger back.’