Two Bills Drive

‘The more you talk to people around the Bears, the more you hear offensive coordinator Gary Crowton wanted to make a quarterback change even before Cade McNown was injured.’

‘[Thomas] Smith spent his first seven seasons with Buffalo, and the Bears are counting on him for some keen insights, or anything that might make a difference when they face the Bills on Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘Wade Phillips, coach of the Buffalo Bills, knows what a quarterback controversy consists of, and he believes he doesn’t have one on his team.’

‘After waiting patiently and silently for the first half of the season, backup quarterback Jim Miller is getting his chance to play. But Shane Matthews, who moved up to No. 2 when Cade McNown was injured, may have to wait until next year to get back on the field – and it almost certainly won’t be in a Bears uniform.’

‘The monetary gift that quarterback Jim Miller bestowed upon his offensive teammates this week for their role in keeping him upright helping his production last Sunday was certainly appreciated but hardly necessary.’

‘Johnson has nearly recovered from his separated shoulder, but lacks preparation time to be the starter when the Bills play Chicago in Orchard Park this Sunday, coach Wade Phillips said.’

‘No, we’re not taking about Al Gore and George W. Bush, but a race far more important to some Western New Yorkers. The Buffalo Bills could announce today if Doug Flutie or Rob Johnson will be the starting quarterback against the Chicago Bears Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘But don’t you find yourself wishing Rob had a little more Jim Kelly in him? Regardless of where you stand on the quarterback controversy, don’t you feel like shaking the guy and asking him to start acting more like a leader?’

‘"Those two guys especially have done well for us this year," Phillips said. "Steve Christie is the best clutch kicker I think anybody could have. Sam Cowart is playing tremendous football. He, to me, is the top linebacker in the league right now. He backs it up with the number of plays he’s made. We’ve seen him play at a tremendously high level."’

‘The story quoted a Bills player as saying, "Rob seems distracted by things, like wanting everyone to like him."’

‘Buffalo, Pittsburgh and the New York Jets are the only NFL teams to run a 3-4, which consists of three down linemen and four linebackers. The Steelers and Jets are ranked sixth and 13th, respectively, in the NFL in team defense.’

‘We still don’t know who our next president is going to be, and Flutie and Johnson still don’t know for certain which one of them will be the starting quarterback Sunday for the Bills when Chicago comes to Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘Johnson never will match the things Flutie does best, but he has the physical talent to take a good team a long way. The sooner he returns to the lineup and the more he plays, the more prepared he’ll be when the Bills become a serious Super Bowl contender.’

‘Place-kicker Steve Christie, who has four winning field goals this season and was 3-for-3 in last week’s 16-13 overtime victory over New England, yesterday earned his third AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Award.’

‘"I’m still waiting to get a tryout with some premiership soccer team," Christie said with a laugh.’