Two Bills Drive

‘At halftime, the Steelers had 100 penalty yards compared to 115 yards of offense. Those 100 yards included five personal foul calls.’

Pay attention to Larry. Watch him prepare, admire his attitude, and take notes on his work ethic. Study him like you’re readying for a final exam, then break the rules. Remember that honor code that you were bound by in college last year? Dump it. Copy Larry Centers. Imitate his every move. Do it outwardly and proudly. Plagiarize the heck out of this guy.

Your jobs may depend on it.

"Our defense played fantastic," Jay Riemersma said afterwards. "They made great strides with some of the key losses they have had. But clearly our offense has to get its act together or we will continue to go out there and get embarassed."

‘Bills quarterback Rob Johnson threw for only 104 yards. He was sacked four times and pressured most of the game. Time and time again, he was pounded to the artificial surface. Johnson finally had to leave the game midway in the fourth quarter after he was chased and, just as he unloaded the football, slammed to the turf by outside linebacker Jason Gildon.’

‘Buffalo’s never-imposing offensive line was even weaker than usual, with rookie Marques Sullivan (previously a guard on Buffalo’s depth chart) and Steelers wash-out Kris Farris starting at the two tackle spots. After Farris went down with a lower-leg break, Buffalo had to turn to Jon Carman, who until about 24 hours before kickoff held down a spot on the Bills’ practice-squad roster.’

‘"I feel bad for Kris because he used to be one of us," Steeler cornerback Dewayne Washington. "After the game, we got together and said a prayer for him." Farris underwent surgery Sunday night and had a metal rod inserted into his leg.’

‘How bad are the Bills? Pittsburgh committed 12 penalties for 125 yards … and won. The Steelers failed to score an offensive touchdown until there was 3:52 left in the game … and won. And quarterback Kordell Stewart completed 15 of 22 passes for a pathetic 107 yards … and the Steelers won. But only because as bad as the Steelers were, the Bills were worse.’

‘Thanks in part to a three-week layoff, it took the Steelers nearly a month to score their first touchdown of the 2001 season. And it was fitting that the touchdown was scored by the defense.’

‘Some fans from Canada might have had trouble getting to the stadium, and some fans from Pittsburgh, the Bills’ opponent, might have had trouble getting into the stadium, but new security measures instituted at the stadium did not seem to bother most, on a day when the home team limped off the field after a 20-3 shellacking.’

‘Fans at the Bills-Steelers game Sunday donated nearly $20,000 to firefighters collecting money for the families of firefighters lost in the World Trade Center tragedy.’

‘"It ain’t good," nose tackle Pat Williams said. "I’m just mad. I’m frustrated. . . . We can’t quit. I’m not quitting. I don’t want to lose any more. I’m tired of losing. It hurts."’

‘"I don’t think words can describe how I feel right now," Moulds said in a somber locker room. "It’s like I’m out there running around for nothing. It’s ridiculous."’

‘So it wasn’t a huge surprise that the Steelers’ offense appeared as bewildered as a tourist in the middle of Siberia without a map during Sunday’s 20-3 victory over the Bills. It helped that Buffalo, which was missing starting offensive tackles John Fina and Jonas Jennings, looked even more lost than Pittsburgh.’

‘Let’s put it right out there: Could the Buffalo Bills actually be the worst team in the NFL right now?’

‘The question was never whether these Bills are better than these Steelers. Such musings became impertinent once Buffalo reached two more rungs down the depth chart to plug the holes in what was already a makeshift offensive line. Can’t run, can’t win, the day’s only remaining mystery being why it took Pittsburgh so long to file away an opponent clearly inferior. No, the question was never which team is better. What’s worth considering, though, is which team is better off?’