Two Bills Drive

‘Bills quarterback Rob Johnson has tendinitis in his right throwing elbow, but it should not prevent him from playing this weekend. "I’ve had it for a while now. It’s just something that I’ve had to deal with," Johnson said on Thursday after he was wincing and grabbing his arm while warming up in practice. "I’ve taken a couple of hits on my elbow. I’ve got some scabs around it. It’s been a little more tender than it has been before. But I’ll be all right."’

‘Curtis Martin conceded yesterday that his sprained left knee is not yet completely right and he’ll continue to wear a brace on it until there’s no more pain. This is not a good combination with the Bills’ No. 3-ranked defense on deck.’

‘His slow starts have become a cause for some concern. But Vinny Testaverde has been a symbol of the perseverance the Jets have shown in their first two games. In Green Bay, he looked rusty in the first half, hardly resembling the form he showed in 1998. He overcame the rust in the second half and led the Jets to victory. On Monday night, Testaverde was even worse early, seemingly befuddled by Bill Belichick’s defensive schemes. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter, when he helped engineer the two critical TD drives, that Testaverde’s game came alive.’

‘The Buffalo Bills lost four starters, including future Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, off the NFL’s top-ranked defense of a year ago. That defense has fallen all the way to third-best in the league after two games. New York Jets coach Al Groh, whose team faces that defense on Sunday, said Wednesday that the Bills are ”just as tough as before, only faster. They are very aggressive, very physical and very speedy. They are not weak in any one area defensively – they have one of the best lines, one of the best groups of linebackers and one of the best defensive backfields. It’s a very cohesive operation, and they have a complementary defense.”’

‘They nibbled on Brett Favre and devoured Drew Bledsoe. Nowhere comes another potential quarterback-munch for the Jets – the Bills’ Rob Johnson, who, in a moment of gallows humor, joked yesterday, "We’ve shown the ability not to pick up the blitz. I’m sure they’re going to come after us."’

‘Somehow, Riemersma gets open. And somehow, Bills quarterback Rob Johnson finds him, even if the tight end isn’t considered a read on the play. "Obviously, I have a good feel with Jay," Johnson said this week as the Bills prepare for Sunday’s showdown against the New York Jets. "One ball he (caught), he’s not supposed to do what he did, but he just found the opening. It’s easy to see with him because he’s not hesitant. "He just goes there and does it. You can read it really well."’

‘…quarterback Mike Cawley has agreed to contract terms with the Calgary Stampeders and will join the club, likely late this week. The Stamps had been negotiating for several days with Cawley, who was recently released by the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.’

‘As the Bills’ defense continues to thrive at the top of the league, more people are beginning to pay attention. One of the players they are watching is Mo linebacker Sam Cowart. Cowart was recently featured on a conference call with the national media. Here is what he said…’

‘From the very beginning, we knew that Rob Johnson was an injury-prone quarterback. He just can’t keep taking those kinds of shots with the history he’s had. I’m not putting all this on the offensive line, but they do have to hold up a bit better for Rob. And maybe Rob is holding the ball too long. But he needs to be little smarter, too, throw the ball away more and be conscious of getting down or getting out of bounds, or just get rid of the ball quicker. I’m guessing that the offensive linemen will say to themselves, yeah, we can play better, but Rob’s got to do his part, too.’

‘A four-man linebacking unit that stuffs the run, chases down plays sideline to sideline and makes the lives of quarterbacks miserable awaits the Buffalo Bills’ offense. No, we’re not talking about the four linebackers Rob Johnson & Co. will see in practice today. We’re talking about the New York Jets’ linebacking unit, which is one of the best in the NFL and might be even better than the Bills’ outstanding linebacking corps.’

‘The Buffalo Bills have moved down 10 spots in the NFL’s age ranking since last year. Last year, the Bills were tied for the 10th-oldest team in the league. This year, their 53-man roster is tied for the 10th-youngest in the NFL.’

‘"I remember the last time Testaverde was their quarterback, they won the division," Bills coach Wade Phillips said yesterday, referring to 1998 when Testaverde drove the Jets to their first AFC East division crown and a berth in the AFC Championship Game. "They seem to do the same things they did the last time he played a full season for them."’

‘The Bills, Giants and Jets all are off to 2-0 starts this NFL season. When was the last time New York state’s three pro football teams all began a season 2-0? Never.’

‘"The first couple of games, we’ve shown the ability not to pick up the blitz," Johnson said. "I’m sure they’re going to come after us."’

‘"I’m just going to start calling him the best," Bills defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell said. "He’s a guy now who’s never coming off the field. How many ‘backers can do that? Not too many. "We’re starting to run out of superlatives to describe him."’