Two Bills Drive

‘Big Picture: It was messy, and not just a little lucky, but the Bills are alive – barely – in the AFC East.’

‘When it comes to the Information Superhighway, the National Football League has entered the fast lane. And the Buffalo Bills are among the franchises riding shotgun in this high-speed marketing chase.’

‘"That’s our team," he said. "Doug didn’t have the greatest game, but I don’t think any quarterback could have. But he finds a way to win."’

‘I never said anything about Rob in the whole interview," Flutie said yesterday. "It’s unfortunate that those quotes were what they were. They were anonymous quotes which I tend to disbelieve. I’m sorry (Johnson) feels that way."’

‘Yesterday on a gray, soggy, windy New England afternoon, the Bills proved they are knitted tighter than your best pair of wool socks, and wouldn’t those have come in handy here.’

‘The Bills are 14-6 in OT in their history, second-best in the NFL behind only Pittsburgh’s 13-5-1.’

‘Of the Bills’ five wins this season, four have come on Christie kicks in the final minute or overtime, and three have been on the game’s final play.’

‘It was not a magical victory like the ones we’ve come to expect from Doug Flutie over the past 17 years. But Flutie, 38, who is the first to say some of his performances are not artistic masterpieces or statistical wonders, showed once again that he wins more than he loses on Sunday afternoons.’

‘This is the kind of day it was for the Patriots. It was gray, dank, and soggy. It was mushroom weather. It was a day that encapsulated this dreary, 2-7 season.’

‘"Extremely average. Not good enough to win. I throw an interception on first and goal at the 1. It’s inexcusable," Friesz said after yesterday’s 16-13 overtime loss to Buffalo in which the 11-year veteran took over for the injured Drew Bledsoe early in the second quarter and the Patriots trailing, 10-0.’

‘A big reason middle linebacker Sam Cowart was able to make so many disruptive plays and lead the Bills with 14 tackles and one sack was because of the work of big Ted Washington up front.’

‘There are only eight seconds left and your team needs you to kick a 48-yard field goal. Being a kicker is not easy. Steve Christie certainly made it look that way, and then some, in the Bills’ 16-13 overtime win against the Patriots yesterday.’

‘A team quarterbacked by Doug Flutie won a game at Foxboro Stadium yesterday. Would you rather wait until I could get back to you with some new news?’

‘The Buffalo Bills left here last night with a victory they deserved because when the game was on the line, they made the plays, and the Patriots did not.’

‘"My feeling after throwing on the sidelines was that I wouldn’t be able to throw accurately enough to be effective for our team, compounded by the fact that every time I took a snap I would aggravate it more," he said. "So I felt the best chance for us to win was to go with John [Friesz]. He made a couple of nice plays that barely got broken up. With the exception of probably one play, he played a good game for us."’