Two Bills Drive

Bill Belichick listed 18 players on the Patriots injury report to the league yesterday……. “Everyone is working to get better,” said Tom Brady. “You have confidence in all those guys you are with. Injuries are part of it this time of year….I know their [Buffalo’s] record isn’t very good, but they’re a very good team. If you ever take a game like this lightly, they’ll beat us. There’s not a guy in that locker room that is looking past Buffalo.”

‘Veteran Jerry Ostroski was back from his broken leg and playing right tackle, and promising rookie Jonas Jennings was back from his foot injury and playing left tackle. Now maybe Sheppard and the Bills’ offense can get back to running the West Coast offense the way it’s supposed to operate when the team visits the New England Patriots this week. "We’re trying to get as close as we can to what the (West Coast) offense does," Sheppard said. "Injuries happen. Everyone has them. It limits us a little bit. But we should limit (ourselves) more, because we’ve got new players in there and we need to give them a chance. The more we put in, the less chance of success we have. We’re attempting to pare things back a little bit."’

‘Asked if he thought the team would make a long-term commitment to Johnson, Donahoe said: "We think we did that when we made the decision last year. It was not a decision we made for one year. We knew we were going to try to build a team here, and Rob was the quarterback to help us do that."’

‘Smith is psyched to make sure the Bills go home sorry they made the trip, but he also knows he’d better not be too psyched, because a running back who loses his grip on himself is liable to lose his grip on the football.’

‘Despite six losses in the first seven games, and Johnson’s continued inability to play with consistency, the team’s hierarchy is not wavering on its decision. At least not yet.’

The Bills today announced that the team has signed safety Pierson Prioleau to the 53-man roster and placed safety Tony Driver on the Injured Reserve list with a knee injury. The 23-year-old Prioleau will wear jersey #23 with the Bills. He played in 28 games (11 starts) for the Niners in 1999 and 2000

‘"It was not a decision we made for one year," Donahoe said, referring to his choice to keep Johnson over Flutie. "We knew we were going to try to build a team here, and Rob was the quarterback to help us do that. I think when you look at Rob’s performance and look at some of the circumstances surrounding it, he’s played well."’

steve(malden,ma): Keith, based on his flashes of star potential, do you think Rob Johnson is still the Bill’s QB of the future? And if not, who do you think would pick him up if the Bills decide not to re-sign him?

Keith Schleiden: I was talking witha very well-respected NFL writer the other day, someone who has been around for 40-plus years (and he’s not senile). He told me the best QB he’s seen in person this year is Rob Johnson. While that is a stretch in my personal opinion, Johnson is opening some eyes. He is getting more comfortable in the Bills’ offensive system, and it is beginning to show up on the stats sheet. I believe if Johnson continues to show signs of development over the second half of the season, the Bills will keep him and his large cap figure around.

After three straight overtime games over the last two seasons, the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills will meet on Sunday for the first time this season. Five of the last six games between the AFC East rivals have been decided by four points or less.

Bills rookie safety Tony Driver will miss the rest of the season because of a torn ligament in his left knee.

Driver was placed on IR and will have reconstructive surgery by next week. He was hurt while covering a kickoff return in the first half of Buffalo’s loss to Indianapolis on Sunday. HC Williams said no decision has been made on filling the roster spot.

Chad Bratzke reappeared on the radar screen for the Colts, as did their defense, but it may be premature to get excited. The Bills were again down to their fourth and fifth tackles because of injuries, and the Colts took appropriate advantage of it. Bills QB Rob Johnson didn’t have much of a chance, although there were times when he again held onto the ball too long. The Colts’ offense wasn’t spectacular, but they got more encouraging signs when Dominic Rhodes had a 100-yard rushing day in place of injured Edgerrin James. That was the bright spot for the Colts; a bleak note for the Bills

‘For Smith, it’s about revenge. It’s a chance to show the folks who thought he was washed up and picked clean that he still has something left. The 29-year-old said yesterday it’s not about that, but he did so with an unmistakable gleam in his eye.’

Special-teams standout S Tony Driver injured his knee Sunday and was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

With Jake Arians struggling, the Bills worked out former Saints PK Doug Brien on Tuesday.

FS Keion Carpenter cracked a rib early in the game against the Colts and did not return. His spot was taken by Travares Tillman.

‘Henry aims to bolster the Buffalo Bills’ running game. He has shown flashes of brilliance during his rookie season. In fact, there are only three first-year running backs with more yards. But 388 yards in seven games is not Henry’s idea of success. He wants a lot more. The question is, will the Bills oblige him?’

‘"One of the things that really impressed the selection committee about Russ was what he’s been able to accomplish in a small market with a struggling economy," said Tom Stinson, the Journal’s assistant managing editor. "We also look for young people who are influencing the business they are in, and Russ clearly is doing that. (NFL commissioner) Paul Tagliabue said that the Bills training camp is a model for the rest of the league, and has called upon Russ to stage sponsorship seminars at the league meetings. We see Russ as one of the creative young minds who is shaping the future of the sports industry."’