Two Bills Drive

‘”Anytime you have a quarterback who goes to the Pro Bowl, it’s a reflection of the team he’s playing for,” he said. “You look at what’s happened to me. I’m standing up here with two other offensive Pro Bowlers, and we have Peerless (Price), Travis (Henry) and Larry Centers as alternates.”‘

‘”A lot of guys vote for their boys, regardless of what type of year you have. That’s just the way it is, guys will vote for familiar names.”‘

‘With two games remaining, Bledsoe’s passer rating of 87.8 is the highest of his career. He has thrown for 3,949 yards – 606 shy of his career high – and has tossed 23 touchdown passes, second only to the 27 he threw in his second NFL season of 1994.’

‘”Unfortunately for Travis, and for us, we’ve been in too many games where we have had to play from behind and have had to throw it a lot,” Bledsoe said. “Had we not been in those situations, I really feel that Travis would have had a very legitimate shot at leading the league in rushing.”‘

‘”The fact that we are a cold-weather team, we practice out there and are used to those situations. it should make it a little bit less of a travel game for us. The fact that Green Bay is an awful good team, that’s the factor.”‘

‘Opponents have ventured within the Bills’ 20-yard line 45 times. Thirty-three of those excursions – 73.3 percent – have resulted in touchdowns. Tennessee, the next worst team in this area, is giving up touchdowns at a 66.7 percent clip.’

‘Just keep this in mind: Buffalo has a good running game and an explosive passing attack. The Bills have beaten Miami twice and are coming off a win against San Diego. This isn’t a pushover. If you’re a gambling man or woman, take the Bills and that meaty 6 points they’re getting. Don’t be too surprised if Buffalo wins this one straight up. It is a dangerous team.’

With two weeks to go in the season, the NFL’s American Football Conference is as competitive as it has been in 15 years, with not one team yet qualifying for the playoffs. That scenario has not occurred since 1987.

WR Peerless Price has put up career numbers but it wasn’t enough to earn a Pro Bowl selection in an AFC that’s loaded at the position. Price has 84 catches for 1,156 yards and 9 TDs. He was disappointed, but is on the Pro Bowl alternate list. “I know how it is and I know how political this stuff gets,” he said.

‘…in 1971 the Buffalo Bills picked him 30th in the NFL draft and made him a three-year starter. Then, in a move that shocked many, White gave up pro football to return to Dayton – he had worked for the Montgomery County Juvenile Court in the offseasons – and take a $10,400 a year job as a parole officer.’

‘The Buffalo Bills, Kragthorpe’s soon to be former employer, and their talented quarterbacks were also a subject of his gratitude. He specifically mentioned Drew Bledsoe and Alex Van Pelt, among others. “Those guys are pro football players,” he described. “They taught (me) the true value of professionalism. They are my players, and I’ll miss them…but not too much.”‘

‘Price’s unhappiness was noted in the Bills locker room, as several players including quarterback Drew Bledsoe and team president Tom Donahoe stopped by to console him after practice.’

‘The Buffalo Bills will be passing off a total of $25,000 in grants to 10 area community groups and individuals during the 2002 Community Quarterback Awards Dinner Thursday night.’

‘Bledsoe became the third Bills quarterback to earn selection, behind five-time Pro Bowler Jim Kelly and Doug Flutie, who was selected once in 1998. Bledsoe finished third overall in fan balloting, receiving 733,754 votes, behind Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre (930,270 votes) and Kansas City running back Priest Holmes (747,297).’

‘The glaring difference between the two is that Bledsoe (46) has been sacked exactly twice as many times as Favre, who has taken the Pack to 11 wins as opposed to Buffalo’s seven.’