Two Bills Drive

A Bills win pulls them within a 1/2 game of idle Miami. The team must guard against looking past the Lions towards next week’s big matchup with the Patriots. The Lions have won 2 of their last 3 despite being near the bottom of the league in total offense and total defense.

‘"We realize he’s the leader," said Lions fullback James Stewart this week on a conference call with Buffalo media. "He definitely carries himself like he’s been in the league six or seven years. We’re looking for him to guide us."’

‘Still, for the first time all season there’s a possibility that Detroit will have Bill Schroeder, Germane Crowell, Az Hakim and tight end Mikhael Ricks all on the field at the same time.’

‘Since taking over for McMahon as the Lions starter in Detroit’s third game of the season, Harrington has made Lions’ general manager Matt Millen look like a genius — if that’s possible — for selecting him in the draft and then signing off on coach Marty Mornhinweg’s decision to hand him the Lions’ starting QB job so early in his first season.’

‘Harrington, the third player taken in the NFL draft, is purring along just fine. Never mind his modest 66.8 passer rating. Since taking over as starter, Harrington has gone 2-2 and completed 54 percent of his passes.’

Harrington always keeps the Lions close and occasionally puts them over the top. Not this time, however: Bills 31, Lions 27.

‘Do the math — 2-4 is progress for a lost football team that was 0-6 at the same juncture a year ago.’

‘What initially looked like a mean-nothing game between two teams that combined for five wins all last year has turned into an intriguing test for both in gauging their sudden progress.’

The Bills and HealthNow will kick off the “Rush for Reading” challenge with punter Brian Moorman this Tuesday, October 29 at 2:00 PM at Frank Fowler Dow School (PS 52) located at 100 Farmington Road in Rochester.

‘"They made some strides here the last few weeks," Williams said of his defense. "We finally were able to get some turnovers and that was the thing we haven’t been doing. Usually those things come in bunches and they did. We still need improvement in that area because we left some obvious turnovers on the field last week. Each week you have to work hard that there is limited miss tackles, play well in the run game, and try to get the ball turned over. Last week we did and took some strides in that respect."’

‘SI: Which player that you coached should be in the Hall of Fame that is not currently in the Hall of Fame? Levy: The first one that is active for consideration is Steve Tasker. If special teams are one-third of the game, and it is showing more and more this year that it is, there is no one comes close to being the special teams player that he was.’

Through the first seven weeks of 2002, Bledsoe has thrown for 2,198 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first season in Buffalo after nine years with the New England Patriots.

Read what Peerless Price said about his teammates.

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe will be flipping the coin at Friday's high school football game at East Aurora High School (vs. Southwestern). The game starts at 7:30 PM. – Sal Paolantonio of ESPN was at practice on Thursday to do a feature on the receivers for this week's "Sunday Countdown".

The Foundation will welcome the agency to its National Support Network by presenting the George Young National Grant, which includes a $10,000 check. Attending will be Bills safety Tony Driver, the team’s 2002 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award and, the team’s head athletic trainer.