Two Bills Drive

‘The date was Oct. 17, 1988, the site the New Jersey Meadowlands. The Buffalo Bills were playing on "Monday Night Football" for the fist time in more than four years. For young Bills wide receiver Andre Reed, it was the first glimpse of the NFL spotlight. "It was special," Reed, now with the Denver Broncos, said Monday. "It was kind of a coming out party for our whole team, because nobody knew about us." Reed was a star that night, catching seven passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns, including a 65-yarder. The Bills pounded the New York Jets 37-14, went on to win the AFC East and came within one victory of reaching the Super Bowl. Reed’s performance that Monday night propelled him to the first of his seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections.’

‘There was speculation that Reed might not survive the [Denver Broncos’] final cuts, but he gave coach Mike Shanahan his assurance that he could accept his role as a backup – even if it meant not suiting up for some games. “I talked to Mike on Friday, and he shot straight with me about a lot of things,” Reed, 36, said. “Obviously, there’s a reason why he wants me here. Am I an insurance policy? To a certain point. If this is the last year for me, I’m going to make it as fun as I can. “It’s all about trying to get a Super Bowl ring with this team. And this is the only team I feel I can get that with.’

"…I just wanted us to play at home the first game," Phillips said yesterday. "We’ve been on the road the past couple of years and I really feel there’s a big advantage at home, especially in Buffalo. It didn’t matter who we had to play, but to play one of the best teams on our schedule the first game, here, with a young team, it’s important. We’ll be ready."’

‘When discussing "Home Run Throwback," the official playbook name of the Titans’ disputed kickoff lateral play that beat the Bills 22-16 in last January’s wild-card playoff game, Phillips referred to the play as "Home Run Throw Forward" twice during a news conference yesterday. He’ll never be convinced it was a legal lateral, he said.’

‘…reporters questioned Phillips about his curious turn of a phrase. "Home run throw forward just rolls of your tongue,” a reporter said. "Well, that’s what it was,” Phillips replied.’

‘Never, in the recent history of the Buffalo Bills, have the veterans felt so safe on cutdown day. Having lost 15 players from last season’s 53-man roster and injured reserve list, there was plenty of room to make this year’s squad. Sure enough, in the 27 cuts the Bills made to get from the training camp limit of 80 down to the regular-season maximum, only one actually played for Buffalo last season. Second-year running back Lennox Gordon, who saw limited action in eight games a year ago, was one of Sunday’s final 12 cuts. And he was a circumstantial victim. Buffalo has committed to a one-back attack this year and already has four quality runners in Antowain Smith, Jonathan Linton, Sean Bryson and Sammy Morris, who can also play fullback. Joining Gordon on Sunday’s cut list were quarterback Mike Cawley, receivers Drew Haddad and Kevin Drake, defensive backs Reggie Durden, Nick Ferguson and Jay Hill, tight end Ivan Gustafson, linebacker Dustin Cohen, defensive end Jarrett Procell, guard Corey Hulsey and fullback Josh Roth, the former Pine Valley and University at Buffalo star. Of that group, only Cawley, Drake, Ferguson and Hulsey had been in an NFL camp before and none of them had made a roster.’

‘…Buffalo benefits as well. The Bills were desperate to come up with a kick returner after this year’s fourth-round choice, wide receiver Avion Black, fumbled the role away. Thus the bid for Watson, who returned a Broncos franchise-record 48 kicks last season for a 23.7-yard average. "I think he still has a great future," Shanahan said. "But it’s always tough. Any time you come from college and you don’t have that spring ball experience that he didn’t have throughout his career, there’s going to be a learning curve and some growing pains. And he went through some of those growing pains. But he’s a heck of an athlete, he’s very talented, and that’s one of the reasons a number of teams were interested in him. They see the potential, too. He’s going to get better and better."’

‘For most of his 16 NFL seasons, wide receiver Andre Reed has been a shining star. Now he’ll be making cameo appearances for the Denver Broncos. There had been speculation that Reed, who has 941 career receptions, second only to San Francisco’s Jerry Rice, would not even make Denver’s final roster. It turns out he did, but only as a role player. Coach Mike Shanahan said he thinks Reed can deal with it. "Not only for Andre, but for any veteran who has been a starter and has played in the NFL, I think it’s always tough to go back and play in a backup role," Shanahan said Sunday after he announced the Broncos’ final cuts to reach the 53-man roster. "If you’re a competitor, which all of these guys are, you want to play and you want to show what you can do. But everybody’s got to know their role as well."’

‘A three-year starter at Eastern Illinois, he [Chris Watson] was a sprinter with the track team during the spring, when the football team usually receives valuable instructional work. And he missed part of his senior season because of an injury. “He really was just learning the defensive back position, and I think he still has a great future,” [Broncos’ coach Mike] Shanahan said. “But it’s always tough any time you come from college and you don’t have that spring ball experience that he didn’t have throughout his career. There’s going to be a learning curve and some growing pains, and he went through some of those growing pains. “But he’s a heck of an athlete. He’s really talented, and that’s one of the reasons a number of teams were interested in him.”‘

‘The Bills traded an undisclosed 2001 draft pick Sunday to the Denver Broncos for second-year cornerback Chris Watson. Watson, 23, the Broncos’ third-round draft choice (67th overall) a year ago, was an All-Rookie selection by College & Pro Football Newsweekly. He ranked fifth in the AFC with a 23.7-yard average on franchise-record 48 kickoffs, including a long of 71 yards. He wasn’t as prolific on punt returns, averaging less than eight yards per attempt (44 returns for 334 yards), but took one 81 yards for a touchdown. The Bills didn’t get Watson for his kick return prowess alone. The Chicago native was a three-year starter at Eastern Illinois at cornerback and safety. He played in 14 games for the Broncos last year, starting once. "He certainly fits our needs," Bills coach Wade Phillips said. "We were looking for a return guy who could help at corner. He’s a talented player. You can’t take them all, but he was a kid we liked last year and kind of followed. Getting him is a real plus for us."’

‘Former University at Buffalo stars Drew Haddad and Josh Roth were cut by the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, but they probably still have a future with the team. NFL teams have until 4 p.m. today to sign players who were released. After the deadline, teams can add up to five players to their practice squad. Haddad and Roth are expected to be brought back to the Bills if they clear waivers. "They both have the ability to play," Bills coach Wade Phillips said. "I thought both of them did well. I think both of them need some grooming, but I think they have potential and I like both of them. Haddad, we knew had talent. Roth, I think, was a surprise that he did so well. I think they did a great job for us."’

‘There were absolutely no surprises yesterday when Buffalo Bills coach Wade Phillips trimmed his roster to the NFL-mandated limit of 53. The only cut that drew even a mild upward turn of an eyebrow was the release of quarterback Mike Cawley, but not because Cawley’s play warranted him a spot on the roster. Cawley was decidedly unimpressive in the brief work he received in the four preseason games, but his departure leaves the Bills dangerously thin at quarterback for the first month of the season. The only healthy quarterbacks are starter Rob Johnson and third-stringer Alex Van Pelt as Doug Flutie continues to recover from a groin pull that will keep him inactive for at least the first three games. Should anything happen to Johnson and Van Pelt had to play, the Bills would be one play away from having to use an emergency quarterback, probably punter Chris Mohr.’

2. Buffalo 9-7

‘The Buffalo Bills cut 12 players, including second-year running back Lennox Gordon, while also acquiring return specialist Chris Watson from the Denver Broncos on Sunday. The cuts bring the Bills’ roster down to the maximum 53 in preparation for next weekend’s start of the regular season.’

‘In a span of one year, Carpenter’s career has taken a dramatic leap forward. He came to the Bills last year as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Virginia Tech, where he was a second-team All-Big East selection as a senior. And while he made the Bills’ regular-season roster, he was still a relative unknown whose only playing time came on special teams. Now many people know Carpenter, who is well aware of how far he’s come in such a short time. "I feel blessed just to have the opportunity to contribute to a great organization like the Bills," said Carpenter, 22. "A lot of guys don’t get this kind of opportunity until their third or fourth year in the league. I was blessed to be put in a perfect situation at the right time."’