Two Bills Drive

‘The TV cameras caught the Seahawks coach venting his frustration at special teams coach Pete Rodriguez along the Seattle sideline at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The problem? The Seahawks almost allowed the 30-second play clock to expire before getting off the kick that proved to be the difference in their 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills yesterday.’

‘Seattle trailed in every meaningful statistical category, yet none that seemed to matter.’

‘Buffalo lined up to punt, Seattle sent Charlie Rogers deep to receive the kick, then the Bills snapped the ball to the up man, reserve running back Sammy Morris. Morris tucked the ball under his arm and ran right, cutting past lunging and diving Seahawks for a 9-yard gain and a first down.’

‘But on the last nice day of the year in Buffalo, the wind brought hope and joy and momentary salvation for the Seattle Seahawks. It was a wind that gusted just hard enough to push Rian Lindell’s last field goal over the bar, yet howled strong enough to stop Bills kicker Jake Arians’ field-goal try just inches short of the goal post. Two kicks, six points, 14 mph from the southwest. It was the difference in the game.’

‘"Rob has had some pretty good games," said Buffalo offensive coordinator Mike Sheppard, who was the quarterback coach in Seattle last year. "When we haven’t played well on offense, a lot of times it’s been all of us." Perhaps, but Van Pelt led Buffalo to a season-best 316 yards, and he’s the only Bills quarterback to throw two touchdowns in a game this season.’

‘First, there was a 51-yard field goal by Rian Lindell that gave Seattle a 23-13 lead with 3:12 remaining in the game. It appeared that the 35-second play clock had run out on the Seahawks prior to the kick, sending Holmgren into a sideline tirade as the ball barely cleared the uprights. But after looking around and finding no flags, Holmgren breathed a sigh of relief.’

‘Tight end Christian Fauria appeared to catch a 12-yard pass on third-and-10 during the third quarter. But Fauria’s less-than-conventional methods – he kicked the ball with his left foot before snagging it out of the air – caused officials on the field to rule it an incomplete pass.’

‘”This is the greatest thing that could ever have happened in my life, and it took everybody pulling together in this city,” Kelly said. “This is one big family. Thank you very much, I love you all.”‘

‘The Bills (1-8) are off to their worst start in 16 years, and they have lost seven straight at home going back to last season. It’s Buffalo’s longest home losing streak since dropping eight straight spanning the 1983-84 seasons.’

‘With the Seahawks shutting down the run, Van Pelt was forced to throw often in his fourth NFL start. He was 28-of-42 for 316 yards and two TDs but could not prevent the Bills from suffering their fourth consecutive loss.’

‘The Bills will surely counter by bolstering their defensive front seven with an eighth defender near the line of scrimmage. Williams, in his first season with the Bills, employed such a strategy regularly as defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans.’

‘With nine more penalties last week, the Bills have committed 63 on the season, compared to only 37 for the Seahawks.’

‘"He’s got a great presence about him. I think the players like playing for him."’

‘Opponents have outscored the Bills, 59-16, in the first quarter and 59-17 in the third.’

‘Which should make it interesting to chart Jonas Jennings and Marques Sullivan, the two highest-picked linemen from the 2001 draft, for the next two months.’