Two Bills Drive

‘One of the most prolific running backs in NFL history, Thomas becomes eligible for induction in 2006. But with four other strong candidates in the same class — Troy Aikman, Reggie White, Deion Sanders and Warren Moon — Thomas admits he might not be a first-ballot selection. "When all those guys had retired, they had won a Super Bowl," said Thomas, referring to Aikman, White and Sanders. "I haven’t. That makes it pretty tough to get in. "But I’ve always thought that it doesn’t matter whether I make it on the first time. Just as long as I make it and can say my speech and they say, `Thurman Thomas made it as a Buffalo Bill.’"’

‘"It’s going to change the history of the world," Morris said of the terrorist attacks that leveled the twin World Trade Center towers and a portion of the Pentagon, killing perhaps more than 5,000 people. "You think about it every day, all the personal stories of what the families have gone through. It’s still a shock. Especially when you see more and more video."’

‘After attending a memorial service Friday, the Bills took the weekend off before their scheduled practice Monday. Along with collecting money to help victims of the attack, many Bills players were expected to attend a city-sponsored vigil Sunday evening in front of Buffalo’s city hall.’

‘Jones admits he does not love the way coach Gregg Williams deals with players. "I didn’t totally agree with their approach," he said. "He’s not treating them like men. And I’m not the only guy who feels that way. You don’t insult players. There’s a certain way you talk to grown men, and there’s a certain amount of respect you give grown men, and liberties and freedoms you give them. . . . I think he’s still trying to figure that out as a head coach as far as how he wants to do it."’

‘When middle linebacker Sam Cowart suffered a partially torn Achilles tendon in the season opener, Buffalo Bills coach Gregg Williams acknowledged the team’s defensive star likely would miss a "significant" amount of time. It appears now that "significant" translates into the balance of the season.’

‘It’s almost seven months later, and it seems the Dolphins might have had made the offseason’s best decoy move by getting the Buffalo Bills to keep Rob Johnson instead of Doug Flutie. In February, a top team source with the Dolphins told The Herald and two other South Florida newspapers the team would be very interested in Johnson if the Bills were to let him go. But did they mean it?’

‘Buffalo Bills linebacker Sam Cowart underwent surgery on a partially torn Achilles’ tendon Friday, increasing the likelihood that he will be out for the season. But the Bills have not officially ruled out Cowart, who was injured in last Sunday’s 24-6 loss to the New Orleans Saints.’

‘Williams said Cowart’s injury is not as severe as the complete tear of the tendon that was suffered by Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde two years ago. "It’s up higher in the muscle belly moreso than on the tendon," he said.’

Porter, who signed with the Dolphins in March after not being resigned after three seasons with Buffalo, was cut in preseason.

Porter was one of the players burned in Homerun Throwback by the Titans.

"He is a young guy who has played cornerback and safety and is a good special teams player," Titans GM Floyd Reese said.

‘"I feel it is the absolute right decision by the NFL to postpone games this weekend," Wilson said in a statement. "I had conveyed my thoughts to the league in regards to not playing this weekend well in advance of the announcement because I feel that to play the games would have shown a great insensitivity to this national tragedy that has shocked our nation and the world. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the victims and their loved ones, as well as the heroic rescue workers who continue in their tireless efforts to search for survivors."’

‘Players throughout the NFL carried the flag on this charge. They saw their games as circumstantially irrelevant and, one would think, recognized the magnitude of their influence. It’s telling that after the players stripped the NFL of its corporate veneer that baseball and NASCAR and major-college football quickly postponed their activities through the weekend. We don’t need to climb to the peaks of our stadiums. Cause for reflection is right before our eyes.’

‘The Dolphins prefer to play the game, since it was a home date against a division opponent that lost its opener. The majority just didn’t want to play it now, for reasons of preparation, security, safety and respect.’

‘"As it was brought to my attention yesterday, [I felt] the initial shock and the disbelief and numbness in what was going on," he said. "In the middle of the afternoon, [I was] angry about what was going on. Finally, well after midnight last night, as I was getting ready to leave the office, I came to the resolution that if our government says it’s safe to play this football game, and our league office says it’s safe to play this football game, we need to do our part."’

‘"How are you going to play in the Meadowlands (the Giants were to host the Green Bay Packers Sunday) when you have people under rubble right across the river? It would be very insensitive."’

‘"I hope and pray that all the people in our organization take the time this weekend to take a walk with their kids, hug their wife, go and do something with one of their loved ones," general manager Tom Donahoe said. "I hope we just realize how fortunate all of us are."’