Two Bills Drive

‘Bills defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, like Williams a former Titans assistant, is quick to agree. He says the key to slowing down the Colts’ signal caller is to keep the pressure on all afternoon. "With a guy like Peyton Manning as smart as he is, you don’t want to go out there and tip your hand," Gray said. "The guy studies more than a coach. But I think the worst thing to do is be afraid to go rush Peyton Manning. "You cannot let a guy like Peyton sit back and throw the ball on rhythm. He will eat you alive. The biggest thing you want to do is make sure Peyton is not in rhythm in the backfield."’

‘That’s why the talk all week has been on the Bills’ offense being more productive than it was in the opener. Rookie RB Travis Henry has the potential to give the Bills a legitimate rushing attack, but his effectiveness will be determined by their ability to stay in the game. If the game is close and Henry is able to do some damage, it will be a big help to quarterback Rob Johnson, who needs to bounce back from his sub-par performance against the Saints.’

‘The average age of the 53 players on the Bills’ roster is 25.4 years, tied with Dallas for No. 2 behind Arizona, the league’s youngest team with an average age of 25.2 years. Just how composed the Bills are able to remain in one of the louder facilities in the league will be a key in determining their success.’

‘What we have here is Rob Johnson on his own. So far he resembles an early elimination in the latest TV reality show, "The Great Race."’

‘Everyone around the team concedes that the time for talk is over. It’s time for the West Coast offense to fulfill its promise; time for the playmakers to make big plays; time to score touchdowns and take the load off a young defense that will have its hands full today. The offense needs a jolt of confidence, and it needs it now. Everyone, from the front office to the coaches to the players, is eager to see the West Coast attack function at a reasonably high level, to establish a sense of belief.’

‘Henry was a big Bills fan growing up in Frostproof, a town of 3,000 in central Florida between Tampa and Vero Beach. The quality he respected most about the Bills during the late 1980s and early ’90s was their unbridled resiliency. He appreciated how they kept getting knocked down but kept coming back during the Super Bowl years. He begged for – and received – a Bills jacket for Christmas during his junior year of high school. He didn’t just love the Bills. He lived the Bills. He looked at them and saw himself.’

‘The Colts are planning a 15-minute "Tribute to Our Local Heroes" ceremony prior to the game.’

‘"There’s been a couple of cuts that people didn’t expect," he said. "That hasn’t really happened here before. People here are getting used to how pro football really is. Before, we just kept our 53 guys and that’s our team for the year. Now, if you’re not playing well or if things aren’t going well, they’re going to look to upgrade the team."’

‘Manning has been held under 200 passing yards in 11 of his 49 career starts in the league. Four have come against the Bills.’

‘Five sacks and three interceptions in the opener are ample evidence of that. But with just two field goals against the Saints, the entire Bills offence has something to prove. Everyone’s learning the new offence, not just me," Johnson said. "It’s not just one guy, it’s 11 guys."’

‘And nobody’s quite sure what to expect in the aftermath of the unspeakable tragedies in New York and Washington, especially for a game in which violence and aggressiveness are an integral part. That’s very much the case for the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts who meet this afternoon in the soldout RCA Dome.’

‘"I think it’ll be a proud time for us as a country, getting back to sports and the things we enjoy and may take for granted," linebacker Keith Newman said. "For us to play this game and the fans who come to watch, those are luxuries we sometimes forget. That’s why being out there and hearing the anthem is going to be a great feeling. Then we’ve got to focus on the game."’

‘The Indianapolis Colts’ 25-year-old throwing machine is at the head of a successful new breed of young signal callers, a class that also includes Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb, Minnesota’s Daunte Culpepper, Cleveland’s Tim Couch and Denver’s Brian Griese.’

‘"We had not been trained to deal with a suicide hijacker because there had never been such a scenario," he said. "What occurred on September 11 was unprecedented."’

‘"My individual goal is to bring the best Larry Centers to the field each Sunday. I want all my teammates to know that I come to play and every play, when I get my opportunity I’m going to get the maximum amount of yards allowed me on that play. "That’s how I grade myself on film. I ask, ‘What could I have done differently to get more yards? How could I have played the situation better?’ That’s how I’ve come to analyze myself as a player, taking it play by play."’