Two Bills Drive

‘So the Bills will hit Foxboro at .500 (4-4) Sunday to take on the Patriots (2-6) because Flutie, though he had numerous passes knocked down, did nothing to make them lose while Testaverde had plenty of negatives after his Monday night magic show rallied the Jets from a 30-7 three-quarter pit to beat Miami last week.’

‘The Buffalo Bills figured out the best way to beat the never-say-die New York Jets: Score the winning points with no time left on the clock.’

‘The Bills got no help from anyone else yesterday as Indianapolis beat Detroit and Miami rallied to overtake Green Bay. The Jets, Dolphins and Colts are all 6-2, leaving the 4-4 Bills mired in fourth place in the AFC East. Elsewhere in the AFC, record-wise the Bills still trail Tennessee, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Oakland and Kansas City. Do the math. With six teams eligible for the post-season, the Bills currently rank ninth in the AFC. Imagine where they would be had they squandered another fourth-quarter lead.’

‘As long as there is time on the clock, we don’t get down on ourselves," said Jets running back Curtis Martin. It’s a sentiment shared by Dougie and the Bills. After the Jets tied the game at 17 with 2:20 remaining, Doug Flutie took over at his 27 and guided Buffalo on a drive that culminated with a 34-yard, game-winning field goal by Steve Christie as time expired.’

‘"He just said go out, play loose and bring some of the fun back," linebacker Sam Rogers said yesterday. "It’s not fun when you lose, so he just wanted us to relax a bit, just do our jobs and have faith that everything will take care of itself in the end." When the dust settled on a very entertaining 23-20 Buffalo victory on a glorious fall day at Ralph Wilson Stadium, several Bills started barking in the locker room.’

‘Bills LB Sam Cowart: Another tremendous performance as he further enhanced his case for a Pro Bowl berth with two fumble recoveries and a game-high 11 tackles, none bigger than his stop on Anderson to thwart the Jets last possession. Two plays before that, Cowart was crossed up on a 12-yard pass to Richie Anderson, but he atoned for that mistake in a big way.’

‘The Jets could only blame themselves, committing four turnovers, three of which led to Bills scores. A fumble by Vinny Testaverde at the Bills 10 foiled a scoring bid in the second quarter. Testaverde was intercepted twice, once by Henry Jones, who ran it back 45 yards for a touchdown. “Turnovers will cause you to lose, and that was confirmed today,” Jets coach Al Groh said. “Too many hurdles to overcome.”‘

Taking over on their own 27 with 2:11 to play, the Bills went to work behind Flutie. After picking up an initial first down, Buffalo (4-4) was faced with a 3rd-and-10, but Flutie hit Peerless Price with a 17-yard pass to move the ball to the New York 40.

‘Coming into the season, the Bills faced the NFL’s toughest schedule based on last year’s records. And, in fairness, their four losses – to Minnesota (7-0), Jets (6-1), Miami (5-2) and Indianapolis (5-2) – have been to teams whose combined record is 23-5. Still, realistically, it’s going to take 10 victories to make the playoffs and that means Buffalo must go 7-2 down the stretch … starting today. And even if Buffalo holds serve at home and goes 7-1 at The Ralph, the Bills must also win 3-of-5 on the road.’

‘Nine consultants who help companies pick suitable regions in which to relocate or expand will be guests of Buffalo Niagara Enterprise at today’s game. They’ll be wined-and-dined in a stadium suite, watching their home team as it rides atop the tough AFC East division. Of course, it so happens that regional marketers have also set up meetings with local development officials who dole out incentives to companies. And yes, there will be a few visits to some commercial office parks and industrial sites on Monday, prior to the visitors’ departure. While they’re here, union leaders will meet with at least one of the visitors to highlight labor-management initiatives that have boosted productivity. Talk about a classic carrot-and-stick strategy.’

‘The AFC East showdown between the Bills and the New York Jets pits two defensive-oriented teams that have a habit of playing close games. In addition, weather forecasts are calling for windy conditions, which could hinder the passing game.’

‘Sammy Morris’ journey to the Buffalo Bills has more twists and turns than a belly dance. He can look back at his days at Texas Tech and laugh now that his troubles are over, knowing his banishment from college, in many ways, saved him from troubles later in life.’

‘It’s time for the Bills’ defense to play a great game. . . . Bills, 20-16.’

‘Indeed, Flutie’s competitiveness was on display last week when he chafed at what he perceives as slights against him and Vinny Testaverde, and at his own benching before Buffalo’s wild-card playoff game last season. "We both went to the Pro Bowl in 1998, yet the following year Vinny has to go through a torn Achilles’ and re-earn people’s respect this year and I’m not good enough to start for this team in the playoffs," Flutie said. "You’re always trying to prove yourself, and Vinny and I have always been in that situation."’

‘If today’s game at Ralph Wilson Stadium were a battle of breakfast cereals, it would be Lucky Charms versus Flutie Flakes.’