Two Bills Drive

‘Recently the Sporting News, in a feature article, called him "the best coach in the NFL." Green not only has an eye for talent, he isn’t afraid to take a chance on players other teams are reluctant to touch. Most teams, including Miami, which was coached by Jimmy Johnson at the time, thought Randy Moss was too hot to handle when he came out of Marshall. Green plucked him with the 21st overall pick and came out with the most dangerous receiver in football. Culpepper was the other extreme. When he came out of Central Florida with immense physical talents, there was a reluctance by some teams who thought he was too shy, too nice a kid to lead an NFL team, at least not without two or three years experience. "Denny knew he would be all right because he was playing with the best pair of receivers in the league and Bobby Smith, who is a great running back," Tasker points out. Culpepper has been more than all right. currently he’s fourth in the NFL in passing, the Vikings are averaging 381 yards in offense and, most important, there is that 6-0 record. Denny Green knows what he’s doing.’

‘Robert Griffith remembers sitting in the Vikings’ locker room, watching rookie safety Orlando Thomas act like he owned Winter Park. It was 1995, and Griffith, then in his second season with the Vikings, wasn’t quite sure what to make of the second-round draft pick from Southwestern Louisiana. "When O.T. first joined the team during his rookie year, I thought he was a loudmouth," Griffith said. "He came in with (cornerback) Corey Fuller, and there was a lot of trash talking by the two of them. "I was like, wait a minute, look at these rookies. I know I’m in my second year, but look at this loudmouth country dude (Thomas). I said, ‘He’d better be good.’" Five years and 914 combined tackles later, Thomas and Griffith have overcome vastly different beginnings to become two of the closest friends on the team. More important for the Vikings, the two safeties held together the defense when it struggled in past years. This season, they are peaking together, leading a resurgence in the unit that has helped the team to an undefeated start.’

‘So how, in this age of free agency, have the Vikings and Bills remained among the top teams in their conferences? There are two primary reasons. First, neither team was built in a day with players purchased from other clubs. And, second, each team has maintained continuity inside the organization.’

‘Doug Flutie will have the attention of his teammates. Many of them believe he should be the starter anyway. Expect to see a spirited Buffalo effort with Flutie playing a full game. While he’ll have the support of his teammates, it’s unknown how well Flutie will perform over the duration of an entire game. He looked good in overtime against San Diego. But he’ll have shake some rust as a runner and a passer today. Watch for him to try to get the Vikings’ defense nervous by running early. Flutie, 38 on Monday, can be a dangerous weapon, but he must prove can still be an effective starter.’

‘"It’s a lot more fun being on the field throwing the ball than standing on the sideline cheerleading," said Flutie, who turns 38 tomorrow. "I enjoy Sundays. I enjoy competing. But the bottom line is that we have to win a game. It’s important we get to 4-3 rather than fall to 3-4."’

‘"We’ve had a similar offense the last two years and six games. That won’t change, it’s how they play us," Phillips said. "Doug has different strengths than Rob. How they try to play us and stop his strengths (is the key). It’s the same plays but they’re run differently at times because of the quarterback." And sometimes, things just happen.’

‘If you were the NFL commissioner, what would be the primary thing you would try to change about the game? "I would say the fields. There’s a lot of complaining about Astro-turf, but I think there should be a lot more attention paid to the grass fields because a lot of them are in poor shape. I would think that your venue for such a game, the surface, for the benefit of the players, should be much better. The Jets’ field was terrible. Last year, Baltimore and Washington were terrible. If you can’t do grass, then don’t do it. Jay Riemersma went down in New York, and that’s a sandbox. And that’s in New York where the commissioner is. That’s not acceptable. Our field is pretty good, it’s layered, it’s very good."’

‘This is the 12th time since the 1970 merger that Buffalo has played an undefeated team through at least four games. The Bills are 8-3 in such games, including wins in five in a row. All three losses have been to unbeaten Miami teams.’

‘Many in Buffalo, coach Phillips included, seem to be toning down the return of Flutie. It’s part of the lingering hangover of Phillips’ controversial decision to hand the job to Johnson prior to the Bills playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans this past January. Flutie fumed and sulked at the time and later said the Bills would have defeated the Titans had he started. He has been relegated to Johnson’s backup since. When meeting with Buffalo media this week, Flutie, who is 17-8 as a starter with the Bills, bit his lip and stuck to the company line. But in a conference call with Minnesota reporters, he said the demotion still eats at him.’

‘The soon-to-be-outdated NFL textbook suggests that a quarterback should only carry the ball on draws, sneaks and broken plays. It also says 6-foot-5, 255-pound players are supposed to fill positions such as linebacker and perhaps fullback. Oldtime students of the game, meet Daunte Culpepper.’

‘Doug Flutie doesn’t look like Rob Johnson, act like Rob Johnson or throw like Rob Johnson. He can’t step back and pass. He can’t be the prototypical NFL quarterback. He isn’t tall enough or strong enough. He probably can’t even start on a full-time basis anymore. But there is something inside Flutie that Johnson may never have or even comprehend. And that is an inherent understanding of what it takes to win a football game and how to go about accomplishing it. In this, Flutie is commanding. In this, Johnson remains a neophyte with skill but not guile.’

‘Soon, perhaps as early as the Vikings’ game this afternoon against Buffalo, the kicker who grew up playing soccer and rugby in South Africa will lay claim to one of the most-sacred records in American sports. Anderson is 10 points away from eclipsing Blanda’s NFL record of 2,002 career points, a milestone compiled over 26 seasons by a player who doubled as a quarterback during a more rugged era of professional football.’

‘When Emmitt Thomas coached in Philadelphia and Green Bay, he always had great respect for Vikings safety Robert Griffith. Now that Thomas is the Vikings’ defensive coordinator, he has an even greater appreciation for Griffith’s talents. "The thing I admire about him is that from looking at people from afar, you never get the full impact," Thomas said. "When I was at Philadelphia and at Green Bay, we really loved this young man. And then coming here, he’s not a disappointment. He’s a heavy hitter, good cover guy and a good team player. "He is smart, but he also likes to compete. He’s intense and very competitive, even in practice. He’s got a great work ethic, and is the leader of our defense."’

‘Vikings 21, Buffalo 17.’

‘It’s the belief here that Flutie still may be the most magical player in the NFL. He knows that. What drives you crazy is to hear all the whispers from newspaper columnists that teammates don’t like him and how they hope he fails so Robbie can flourish. There’s only one problem with that theory: When does he fail? And when does Robbie flourish?’