Two Bills Drive

‘It won’t happen now. If Tom Brady, 24, keeps playing the way he has, the Patriots will be left to ponder if they should trade the league’s hottest young quarterback for a couple of first-round draft choices, or stake their future on Brady and figure out if there’s a way to unload Bledsoe without taking a huge salary cap hit.’

‘The last three Patriots-Bills games have gone to overtime. All were decided by a field goal.’

‘"People talk about Flutie running around all the time, but Johnson is the second-leading rusher on their team," said New England linebacker Tedy Bruschi. "He’s able to scramble. He’s a very gifted athlete. He’s got a big arm. He’ll take off and run. They’ve sort of got the same type of offense with him as with Flutie."’

‘Are the playoffs in the Patriots’ future? Who knows? But if they’re going to make a run, it starts today.’

‘"It’s a modern looking facility, but with a very traditional twist," Wasynczuk said. "We felt New England is a very traditional area and that’s reinforced with the style of the building."’

‘He HAS played well when healthy. He’s completed more than 60 percent of his passes for Buffalo, and is averaging a robust 6.83 yards per pass attempt this season on 102 completions in 190 throws. He’s also rushed for 223 yards, second among NFL QBs this season. All of which has impressed Bills fans not at all. It was Johnson’s ultimate misfortune to be an injury-prone quarterback whose backup was the charisimatic and resourceful Doug Flutie.’

‘One significant difference between Williams and Belichick is that the Pats coach has the final say in all New England player personnel decisions. Williams must defer to Bills’ GM Tom Donahoe. And Williams wouldn’t have it any other way. “The first thing about this job is that I’m doing it here with Tom,” Williams said. “I think football’s like any other business. You have to be able to work together. If you can, anything else doesn’t matter."’

‘It’s known as the look of love, and that admiring gleam is never so apparent as when Patriots coach Bill Belichick is asked to address the unusual longevity of Otis Smith. Not only has the 36-year-old cornerback avoided the sort of decline that normally begins nipping at players in his position at a much younger age.’

‘Forget the bogus 18-man injury report Bill Belichick put out for reasons he never will explain. When the Patriots start the second half of the season today against the Buffalo Bills, the majority of those 18 will play. In fact, many of them didn’t even know they were injured when asked.’

‘In 1976, the Patriots rushed for 2,948 yards and averaged a phenomenal 5.0 yards per rush. 1n 1978, when they set the 16-game record for total yardage, they averaged 4.7 yards per carry. With those marks, they established themselves as one of the best teams ever at running the ball, even though it didn’t stay in the minds of some of their fans for very long.’

‘The Drew Bledsoe-Tom Brady competition at quarterback will not be a problem in the second half of a season that has begun with a surprisingly decent 4-4 record for the Patriots and a remarkable 4-2 run for Brady. But there is a real chance it will flare up next summer, when all things will again be equal.’

‘The Patriots begin play in a shiny new facility being built next door starting in 2002. For many players, it’s good riddance to the old place, but for some it’s a fond farewell. After all, this has been the scene of some of the most memorable games in Bills’ history, a college-type atmosphere that will soon be lost in the name of corporate suites and seats with cup holders.’

‘Q: What’s the worst thing about football? A: "The losing. I hate losing, I’ve never been good at it, it’s terrible. I don’t recommend it for anybody. We put so much effort into it, you put everything into trying to be good."’

‘Protect Johnson. It’s the same old story, but here we go again. The guy can play if his line just gives him a chance.’

The Texans will continue occasional tryout sessions until Dec. 27, when they can begin signing players for the team that will begin play next season.

Robert Hicks, who started seven games for the Buffalo Bills last season, is looking for a new start. `It’s a new beginning for me,” Hicks said. “I’m blessed to be able to come down here and show this team what I have. It’s like a rebirth for me.”