Two Bills Drive

‘There’s no depth left after they cut key players to get under the salary cap. They lost leadership in Bruce Smith and Schulz but managed to re-sign G Ruben Brown. There’s a quarterback controversy lurking if Rob Johnson, the designated starter, doesn’t produce. Doug Flutie has a lot of fans in Buffalo.’

‘Flutie always knew the Bills wanted it to be Johnson, and it would have stayed that way if he wasn’t getting donged so much. And if Flutie hadn’t gone 17-8 as the Bills’ starter. Flutie has told me that he thinks Johnson is very talented, a guy with a strong arm and yes, Flutie said, he can run too. But the fierce competitor in Flutie just wanted his shot last January 8 against the Titans. He thought he’d earned as much. Didn’t happen. He’s said some things. Johnson’s said some things. But nothing’s changed. Johnson starts, Flutie waits. The waiting game he’s good at. We’ll see what happens.’

‘"I feel good," Flutie said. "I wouldn’t want to run for a 40 time right now, because that would scare me a little bit … I’ve played in games when I felt worse than I do now." Rob Johnson will start Sunday nigh and Flutie said he didn’t know whether he would be in uniform for the game. Alex Van Pelt is the third quarterback and punter Chris Mohr would be the emergency quarterback if Flutie is not ready to play.’

‘The Bills believe the youth movement will add some flash to an offense that ran the ball more times than any other in the NFL last season. "Last year we didn’t scare people," Price said. "We didn’t give that threat out there. This year we have the emphasis of getting big chunks of yards, and I think we can put the fear into defenses." The Buffalo defense, which finished No. 1 in the NFL overall, has just three starters over 30 — defensive end Phil Hansen, nose tackle Ted Washington and safety Henry Jones. They’re 32 each. There’s also a 25-year-old Ivy Leaguer, Marcellus Wiley, replacing Smith at right end. "But he replaced someone too, and I don’t know that guy’s name," Wiley said. "Everybody is going to remember Bruce Smith here, I just want to let them know who Marcellus Wiley is. But you don’t get 170-some sacks in one year. You don’t go to Canton in one year."’

‘"There’s no way we’re going to put that behind us, but that’s not a motivation for revenge," defensive end Marcellus Wiley said. "This game only means we can be 1-0. The Super Bowl isn’t going to be won or lost this week."’

‘"We don’t need to discuss the details of that but I am pretty sure (the Bills) circled this game on their schedule," [Titans running back Eddie] George said on a conference call. "It’s going to be a great challenge. "I expect a hostile environment. I think we are all expecting that going up into Buffalo, especially the way it did end."’

‘[Titans Coach Jeff] Fisher doesn’t think Phillips’ refusual to accept the legality of the lateral as crying sour grapes. "It’s just his opinion of the play," he said. "I often put myself in coach Phillips’ shoes and can only imagine how Wade feels after the way his team played, doing what it took to win that game, the expectations they had as a team, and have it end like that. I can only begin to understand how he feels."’

‘I learned what it’s like to be as high as a kite and as low as the grass you walk on," says Dyson, who will start at wide receiver Sunday night against the Bills in the teams’ NFL season opener at Ralph Wilson Stadium. "This is going to sound strange, but the way that Super Bowl ended made me feel the way the Bills must have felt after we beat them the way we did.’

‘Backup quarterback Doug Flutie, expected to be out of action at least the first three games, participated briefly in throwing drills yesterday and said if there was a quarterback emergency Sunday, he could play. "It’s not 100 percent, but if you want a percentage it’s somewhere around 90," Flutie said of his torn groin. "I’ve played a lot of games more hurt than I am right now." Flutie said it was very unlikely that coach Wade Phillips would activate him as the third-string quarterback for the game because the team does not want to rush him back into action and risk further injury.’

‘Quarterback Doug Flutie, who practiced in pads on Wednesday for the first time in almost a month, says his torn groin muscle feels “90 percent” healthy. Despite Flutie’s faster-than-expected recovery, he won’t play Sunday in the Buffalo Bills’ season opener against the Tennessee Titans. “He won’t be ready for this game, but he’s coming along fast,” coach Wade Phillips said.’

‘Quarterback Rob Johnson says he’s still the same hard-throwing, laid-back kid from Southern California. His Buffalo Bills teammates beg to differ, noting he’s grown in poise and confidence as the team prepares for Sunday’s season-opener against the Tennessee Titans. "He’s shown maturity. He’s shown that he’s ready to lead the ballclub. He’s shown that he’s the guy this year," Bills linebacker Sam Cowart said Wednesday. "Once the season gets underway, we get a couple of wins and he proves to the fans, himself and to the team that he’s our quarterback, I think there won’t be so much of a quarterback controversy. "It’ll be Rob’s show."’

‘[Buffalo Bills] 2000 Prediction: 10-6, second in East.’

‘Helping motivate Moulds is that this is the final year of his contract. He can’t help but consider the multimillion-dollar prize that could await him. "You’re a competitor, and you see all these guys getting these big contracts and, of course, you would like to be in that situation," Moulds said. "But you still have to go out this year and have a good showing." Watching the team’s off-season moves to clear room under the salary cap, Moulds hoped some of that was being saved for him because he wants to remain a Bill. "I want to be here and I’m pretty sure it’ll get done," he said. "But I just go out there and approach it that, if I play well, then I figure they’ll take care of it."’

‘Buffalo (11-5) will forever be known as the victim of football’s most unexpected lateral, but coach Wade Phillips may be remembered for a fumble if the Bills struggle this year.’

‘It’s hard to improve on being the top-ranked defense in the NFL, which the Bills were in 1999. But there is one area the team is looking to get better. Despite their defensive success, the Bills did not create a lot of turnovers. They forced 21 of them last season, the 15th-lowest total in the AFC and 29th overall in the NFL. But if the preseason is any indication, the Bills may wreak more havoc on opposing offenses than they did a year ago. In four exhibition games, the Bills created 10 turnovers (four interceptions and six fumbles). There were at least four other passes that could have been intercepted and a couple of forced fumbles that were almost recovered. "The more opportunities you give your offense to score, the higher their scoring percentage is going to be," linebacker Sam Rogers said. "This defense has that capability to make things happen. It’s an exciting defense to play in."’