Two Bills Drive

‘Somewhere, someone must be sticking pins in a voodoo doll that represents the Buffalo Bills’ special teams.’

‘In a game the Bills dominated most of the afternoon, their special teams miscues gave the Jets 16 points.’

‘The Bills’ season opener and the regular-season debut of the Drew Bledsoe era was ruined by a 5-foot-8, 186-pound man who had never returned a kickoff for a touchdown as a professional. Sunday, he returned two.’

‘And he does remind you of Jim Kelly, doesn’t he? How could you not flash back to Jimbo when Bledsoe, 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, sent 305-pound Jason Ferguson back to Friday with a shoulder block on a Peerless Price reverse?’

‘ If you believe the Bills are a legitimate playoff contender, you fear that losing to a divisional rival might cost them a playoff berth down the road. But if you see them as a work in progress, a young, evolving team in transition, then you had to be encouraged by what you saw Sunday.’

‘Moulds finished with eight catches for 112 yards and a touchdown, while Price added seven receptions for 80 yards.’

‘The already popular Drew Bledsoe made a few more friends when he threw a crushing block on Jets 305-pound defensive tackle Jason Ferguson on a reverse to wide receiver Peerless Price. The only drawback was the play lost 7 yards.’

‘The New Orleans native lives in a recreational vehicle and drives to 45 games a year. Sunday, Cahn’s 2002 Tailgating America Tour brought him to the parking lots of Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park.’

‘It was anything but a beautiful day if you were a member of the Buffalo Bills. And if you were Danny Smith, the Bills’ energetic and now beleaguered special teams coach, it was, quite simply, “A very, very disturbing day. It’s the worst day I’ve ever experienced in coaching.”‘

‘Unfortunately for the Bills, they didn’t get the girl at the end of this emotional roller coaster, because Morton got the ball. They should’ve known better than to put the ball back in his hands.’

‘”Drew hung in there; he’s a big quarterback,” said Bills coach Gregg Williams, who looked as if he had just been run over by an equipment truck. “They got him down a few times but he was still able to make plays out of nothing. It was impressive.”‘

‘But when the sting for the Bills wears off later this week, they will look back on their performance and realize that they did some things pretty well, most notably, the way they ran the football.’

‘SPECIAL TEAMS Jets return specialist Chad Morton returned not one but TWO kickoffs for touchdowns, including the game-winner in OT. As if that wasn’t enough, the Bills also had a punt blocked and missed a field goal. F’

‘And even in a 37-31 overtime loss, the quarterback of Buffalo’s future made giant steps to erase memories of those who played the position in the recent past.’

‘”I didn’t know if I had enough gas to make it,” Morton said. “With 30 yards to go, I was thinking ‘at least we are in good field position if I get caught.’ But I made it to the end zone. Game over.”‘