Two Bills Drive

‘”Everything is new,” Hackett said. “Everything is an adventure, and it’s all improving. Now, can we continue to improve through the season? I would expect us to. Will we have some down games? Yes, I would expect us to, because we’re just figuring this thing out. But the signs are all there.”‘

‘Early this season, Hackett’s detractors were out in full force again as the Jets stumbled to a 1-4 start and then blew an 18-point lead against the Cleveland Browns to fall to 2-5. They laughed at Hackett’s reputation as a quarterback guru. Now, with the Jets at 5-5 and back in the playoff hunt, and quarterback Chad Pennington giving fans hope for the future, both in 2002 and beyond, there is little whining about Hackett as the Jets meet the Buffalo Bills (5-5) today at the Meadowlands.’

‘The Jets are rightly proud of their little receivers who can. Laveranues Coles is emerging as a legitimate future Pro Bowl contender. Wayne Chrebet is old and reliable. Santana Moss is new and volatile. But the Jets’ trio are in danger of being overshadowed today by the Buffalo Bills’ goliath wide receivers. Eric Moulds, Peerless Price, and rookie Josh Reed aren’t that huge in stature – Moulds is the tallest at 6-foot-2 – but their receiving numbers tower over almost all other two- and three-wideout combinations in the league.’

‘”You want to have a good running game this part of the year,” Jets coach Herman Edwards said. “If you can run now it is going to help you, especially when you play outdoors. It’s just the way the season kind of goes at the end of the year. A lot of guys are banged up and tackling becomes kind of bad.”‘

‘While the Jets have scrambled back to the .500 mark by winning four of their last five games, there’s no time to catch their breath. They’re still on the outside of the playoffs looking in with six games remaining, and face an incredibly difficult run of games.’

‘"They are playing more consistent. They are mixing their coverages up a lot better when playing the pass and they are playing solid football on defense. I think that they are giving the offense a chance to score more points. Their offense is playing well. Overall, they are playing a lot better, and I think that as a team, as a whole, they are a solid football team."’

Bills CB Chris Watson made a textbook coverage break-up on Trent Green’s 36-yard pass to Eddie Kennison that was ruled pass interference. It put the Chiefs on the Buffalo 19, where they drove it in for the winning score. Some official needs to be held accountable for a brutal call at a critical time.

Buffalo at New York Jets — Just a feeling that the loser of this game will be watching the playoffs for sure.

‘"He’s running strong and powerful," Jets nose tackle Jason Ferguson said. "We’ve just got to get more than one hat [helmet] on him."’

‘And while he’s still probably at least a week away from being available to play, he’s finally with a team that’s within driving distance away from Jersey and his Morristown home, allowing him to help his wife and relatives care for his 7-year-old son, who can’t walk or speak because of cerebral palsy.’

‘There have been a few other nicks here and there, but defensive back Jamie Henderson is the only guy on injured reserve. The Giants, on the other hand, have nine guys on IR.’

‘"When you win you feel better about everything," Jets coach Herman Edwards said. "The meal tastes a little bit better. Your wife all of a sudden becomes better looking. You pet the dog rather than trying to kick the dog. All those things come with winning, and these guys haven’t tasted that in a while."’

‘”Everybody who plays the game plays with a little sense of denial, and you have to play that way,” quarterback Drew Bledsoe said. “You don’t think about the possibility of getting hurt, but when something like that does happen, everyone gets a feeling that this is a fraternity. We compete against each other but we ultimately care about each other, also.”‘

‘But Williams has not been a brilliant or innovative game-day coach and he too often attempts to deflect criticism of dubious strategic moves.’

‘In the last five seasons, the Jets have produced a 19-11 record over the final six games.’