Two Bills Drive

‘Even if you’re a fully vested member of the International Brotherhood of Brady, you gotta realize that the Pats survived him yesterday. Survived him on a day when he went 19 for 35. Survived him on a day when he took six sacks and, at one point late in the game, seemed to unilaterally decide to run a quarterback draw from the Bills 11 on third-and-9. And survived him on a day when the offensive game plan was finally designed for him to go long and he went extra long. Yesterday, Brady was Rick Ankiel in shoulder pads, Mark Wohlers with eye black. He was responsible for more overthrows than the busiest Central American revolutionary, and yet the Pats survived him.’

‘Some teams are good. Others are lucky. When a team can get both in its favor, it can win four games in a row and six of seven.’

‘Tom Brady has a good head on his shoulders. No thanks to Buffalo cornerback Nate Clements, who did his best to decapitate the Patriots’ young quarterback on a third-quarter scramble.’

‘The Bills had 310 yards in offense and 19 first downs. Yet, they managed only three field goals.’

‘"When you have a season like we have, where you only win two games, it makes it very hard to get those calls," Centers said. "It’s hard for the ball to bounce your way. For whatever reason, I don’t know why that is, but that’s the way it happens."’

‘"I had heard of the rule," he said of Rule Three, Section 20, Article Two, Paragraph C, which says the ball is dead when a player who has any part of his body out of bounds touches the ball. "I guess everybody knows about it now," Patten said.’

‘"I have never seen a play like it," Bills coach Gregg Williams said.’

‘In the NFL officials handbook, it’s rule three, section 20, article two, paragraph C: "The ball is out of bounds when a loose ball touches a boundary line, or anything on or outside such line."’

‘And while there’s no truth to the rumor that the crew that officiated the game received a game ball from New England, it certainly played a major role in the Patriots’ fourth victory in a row and third straight in December.’

‘"It always feels good when you win when you’re going against your old team," Smith said. "That run at the end put us in position to kick the winning field goal, so that’s extra special."’

‘There are many playoff scenarios still in play, but the most encouraging reads like this: If the Patriots win their final two games, and the Jets lose of any of their last three, the Patriots win the division title.’

‘Patten was the central figure in a bizarre play which seemed destined to derail the New England Patriots but instead sent them on their merry way.’

‘The breaks — as they have virtually all season — went against Buffalo.’

‘On the winning drive, the Patriots were aided by an instant replay after David Patten fumbled and safety Keon Carpenter recovered for the Bills at their 41. But Patten was ruled to be out of bounds when he fumbled along the sideline.’

‘"I thank God for the gifts he gave me," Smerlas said. "God made me a big, strong, 300-pound man who could kick some (behinds) on the field."’