Two Bills Drive

‘"(If) you win a ball game like this, it kinda makes the aches and pains feel a little bit better. But when you lose, it feels like they’re twice as bad," Favre said, peering out from a blue baseball cap. "As frustrating as it is to lose a football game, any football game, I felt like I did everything I could do and left it out on the field. Sometimes it’s, I guess, not enough. I’m just hoping I don’t fall off this podium."’

‘On a day when he again was a second-degree assault victim, when his running game went south once more, and when Brett Favre accomplished something that eluded illustrious Packer quarterbacks from Arnie Herber to Bart Starr, Rob Johnson was the difference in the game as the Buffalo Bills got off to a 2-0 start. Johnson’s performance won’t be enshrined at the Buffalo Historical Society, but it was more than good enough to gouge a Green Bay defense handicapped by injuries and collaborate with the defensive unit for a victory that was close to being easy.’

‘John Fina, the son of a physician, earned numerous academic awards when he played football at Arizona. He majored in psychology and could talk for hours about the human mind. But sometimes, it all comes down to mathematics. "You know, when they have eight or nine guys on the line of scrimmage, you can only block six or seven of them," Fina said late Sunday afternoon. "That’s how the math works." Simple arithmetic also says the Bills beat the Packers, 27-18. It says they’re the only 2-0 team in the AFC East. Rob Johnson put some impressive numerals on the stat sheet, completing 18 of 26 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns. Still, Fina has a point. Despite putting 27 points on the board, the Bills had a serious math problem. For the second week in a row, they were outnumbered by the opposition blitzes. Football is essentially a game of blocking and tackling. Buffalo is doing just fine in the tackling department. It’s the blocking that leaves a lot to be desired.’

‘Eric Moulds should gripe more often. Moulds spent part of the past week voicing his displeasure about the Buffalo Bills’ offense and his role in it. But the fifth-year wide receiver let his hands and legs do the talking on Sunday. After catching just two passes for 46 yards against the Tennessee Titans last week, Moulds responded with seven receptions for 103 yards in the Bills’ 27-18 win over the Green Bay Packers at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Moulds made all kinds of catches, including a spectacular one-handed diving grab for 42 yards. He also made Green Bay defensive backs look silly with some dazzling runs after the catch. "We just wanted to get out there and make some plays," said Moulds, referring mostly to himself. "When I was asking for the ball, I’m challenging my teammates, I’m challenging myself and trying to get us ready to play. "You can see the explosiveness on this offense. You’ve got Peerless (Price), (tight end) Jay Riemersma and then Jeremy (McDaniel) coming into the ball game. All the guys are making plays. If you’ve got that type of skill people out there, you’ve got to give them the ball."’

‘Big Picture: For at least a day, the Buffalo Bills sit atop the AFC East standing after their 27-18 win over the Green Bay Packers. Since Indianapolis and Miami both lost, the Bills, at 2-0, are first in the division. The Jets (1-0), however, host New England (0-1) tonight. For the Packers, life’s a little more dismal. This is Green Bay’s first 0-2 start since 1992.’

‘The Packers bumbled and fumbled their way to their second straight defeat Sunday, losing to the Buffalo Bills 27-18 at Ralph Wilson Stadium at Buffalo. Green Bay lost three fumbles while starting the season 0-2 for the first time since 1992.’

‘You knew things had gotten pretty bad for the Green Bay Packers when the team chaplain got kicked out of the postgame team meeting.’

‘Sherman, the likable, detail-oriented first-year coach, wasn’t about to take a barrel over Niagara Falls just because his team lost. But he was more realist than optimist after this defeat. "I really thought we could come up here and I really thought we could win a football game, in spite of the fact that this is a great football team," Sherman said when asked in what direction he thought the Packers were headed now. "We had a great week of practice. I think we addressed issues during practice that needed to be addressed. But for whatever reason, we didn’t get it done up here today. We have to look and analyze that. I’m not happy being 0-2. We didn’t perform well enough at any phase."’

‘The…survey, from a Philadelphia firm called CAP Index Inc…rates the safety of neighborhoods where NFL stadiums are located. CAP bills itself as experts on crime. According to their study the New England Patriots play in the lowest-risk location — Foxboro, Mass. The Bills, based in Orchard Park, and Green Bay Packers play in the second least risky location.’

‘But the Bills (2-0) have one of the best defenses in football and dominated the Packers in two ways. First, a week after holding Pro Bowl running back Eddie George of Tennessee to only 37 yards and a 2.2-yard rushing average, they held the Packers to only 40 yards rushing. Second, they dominated the Packers on third down, allowing Green Bay to convert only two of 12 third-down plays.’

‘Antuan Edwards, starting Sunday in place of the injured Mike McKenzie, sprained his left knee midway through the third quarter of the Packers’ 27-18 loss to the Buffalo Bills.’

‘At times, the Packers rushed quarterback Rob Johnson, getting five sacks and forcing an interception. At times, they stuffed the run. Buffalo averaged just 2.6 yards rushing a carry. Yet the Bills still managed to pile up 309 yards of offense, including 85 yards on third down, where a myriad of mishaps plagued the Packers.’

‘On the Green Bay Packers’ second play from scrimmage in their 27-18 loss to Buffalo, Dotson doubled over in pain as his ailing back seized up and forced him to leave the field.’

‘The Packers ran just 16 times for 40 yards and got just one first down via the run. Three times the Packers ran on third down. Three times they were held in check.’

‘If Mike Sherman wants to instill confidence, he can start by putting his offensive background to good use. He needs to get more involved in the play-calling, unless he is to blame for the lame third-down calls, in which case he should get out of his offensive coordinator’s way.’