Two Bills Drive

‘Buffalo’s Wade Phillips has his team positioned to take over the AFC East lead with a victory against the Bucs.’

‘Tampa Bay has maybe a 40 percent chance of being alive for the NFL post-season. Ten wins are needed.’

‘At 5 feet 8, 180 pounds, they believe he can’t take the pounding of a featured running back. With the season-ending injury to Mike Alstott, Dunn has an opportunity in the last five games to prove he is durable enough to get the football 20-25 times a contest.’

‘I hardly ever fight too much for extra yardage because you usually get hurt. The thing is, when I run, I try to protect myself at all costs because I do want to be able to walk away from the game.’

‘Johnson is healthy and took over from Doug Flutie. His team seemed to rally around him in a comeback win over Kansas City on the road.’

‘Clearly the people`s choice is Flutie, the gutty, diminutive and aging former Heisman Trophy winner who has orchestrated some magical victories during three seasons in Buffalo. But the coach`s choice — and the only choice that matters — is Johnson…’.

‘Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp ripped offensive coordinator Les Steckel in Saturday`s editions of The St. Petersburg Times, blasting Steckel`s play-calling, formations and the unit`s lack of identity.’

‘The Bucs` run to the playoff compulsories very likely begins or ends today at home against the Buffalo Bills, who are hoping Warren Sapp doesn`t revive their quarterback controversy by splitting hairs — Rob Johnson`s hairs, for starters.’

‘Channel 5 general manager Gary Wordlaw said these Syracuse blackouts violate the league’s 75-mile rule, but the station is powerless to stop the Bills from imposing them here.’

‘The sixth-year veteran has 11 1/2 sacks this season, third best in the NFL and just one shy of his total for last season, when he was named Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year.’

‘The Fox Sports Net called an audible on the Empire Sports Network and refused to allow it to repeat "The Last Word with Jim Rome" program dealing with the Rob Johnson-Doug Flutie controversy for a second time on Monday.’

‘Antowain Smith isn’t kidding himself. Sure, if he were to have a big game against the rugged Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense tomorrow at Raymond James Stadium, the Buffalo Bills veteran running back might just salvage his once-promising career.’

‘Contrary to what some may be thinking, the wheels haven’t completely fallen off the Buccaneer bandwagon. A few big wheels definitely have come off, though, and that’s where players such as Dexter Jackson come in.’

‘"He wanted to try it," Coach Tony Dungy said, "but I still doubt right now that he’ll play. He’s doing better now than he was."’

‘Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer is making Super Bowl XXXV tickets available to Raymond James Stadium suite holders, but the cost includes a minimum $1,000 donation to his charitable foundation.’