Two Bills Drive

‘There has been friction between the two men during much of the last three seasons, as they battled for the starting quarterback job, but Johnson said the conflict has been exaggerated. “If it was that bad — I mean, we’re around each other eight or 10 hours a day — something else would have happened by now if we hated each other that much,” Johnson told the Buffalo News. “It was just a situation last year.” Andre Reed criticized Flutie on his Web site around the time of Reed’s departure and other players are rumored to have privately criticized Flutie promoting himself at the expense of the team.’

‘…Johnson was quick to add, “There’s no ill will (now) we help each other all the time. What I said referred just to that week.” He did wonder, though, “Why are you guys asking so much about this now? You didn’t do that (when Flutie made his remarks in Canada)?” But we quickly pointed out that, to be sure, we had made a very big issue of Flutie’s annoyingly self-serving comments to the Canadian press. “Oh,” Johnson said sheepishly, “I guess that didn’t get to me out in California.”

‘Penthouse asked the question, "How did you feel when Doug Flutie said the Bills would have beaten Tennessee if he’d started at quarterback instead of you?" "If he was covering kicks, maybe (laughs) . . . maybe he could have been out there on that final play," he said. "I think that (what Flutie said) was more of an insult to the entire team. That’s just the type of guy Doug is. He’s not much fun to play with – you just have to deal with it."’

‘Little things can have a massive impact on a team. Johnson has taken a big step forward as a leader. By telling Penthouse that Flutie had insulted his teammates with his incessant whining about the Tennessee playoff game, Johnson told the fans, his teammates, the entire football world, that this is his team now.’

‘Buffalo Bills right guard Joe Panos will be sidelined for at least the first three games of the regular season after partially tearing ligaments and a muscle along the arch of his right foot. Panos was still on crutches but moving better Tuesday after he received results from a magnetic resonance imaging exam. The injury, to an area called the plantar fascia, is not expected to require surgery. He could be back by the bye week Sept. 24. "The first week is nothing but rest and ice until the swelling goes down," Panos said. "We have to let it heal and start some aggressive therapy. It’s not completely torn."’

‘…one query in particular dealt with a pertinent topic — Flutie’s interview last February with Canadian cable sports network TSN when he said, "I honestly believe that if I would have been playing (in the playoff loss to Tennessee), we could have, would have, won." Johnson’s response in the Penthouse feature: "If he was covering kicks, maybe (laughs). Maybe he could have been out there on that final play. I think that (what Flutie said) was more of an insult to the entire team. "That’s just the type of guy Doug is. He’s not much fun to play with — you just have to deal with it."’

‘An MRI taken Monday revealed a tear in the Plantar Fascia, an area of ligaments and tendons on the bottom of the foot. There is also a strain that is affecting his big toe. Originally, the training staff was hoping Panos would only miss the season opener against Tennessee, but the bad news is it now looks like he’ll be out four weeks. The good news? It could have been as much as six weeks. "After it happened I was like `What did I do to deserve this kind of stuff?’ " said Panos, who missed all of last season due to neck surgery. "But it happens for a reason, though I don’t know what the reason is. I’m out for a little bit longer than I thought, those are the cards that I’ve been dealt."’

‘Day was a member of the defensive unit that helped the Bills win AFL titles in 1964 and 1965. Day also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Chargers before retiring in 1968. After retirement, Day worked to help former NFL players in times of need through the retired players division of the NFL Players Association, Day was active in the United Way. He was also a member of the Bills Alumni and served as president of the organization for two years.’

‘The former Pine Valley and University of Buffalo star has made the first cut of the Buffalo Bills after appearing in the first three exhibition games against Cincinnati, Detroit and St. Louis. “Definitely, I am pleased to have made the first cut and I am one of three fullbacks remaining on the roster,” said Roth, who will be in action against Philadelphia on Thursday night.’

‘"I don’t know what the hell is going on," Panos said. "It’s real frustrating. I was in a pretty bad place (mentally) after the game. I was pretty (angry). They say this stuff happens for a reason. What it is, I have no idea."’

‘Tom Day, a former Buffalo Bill whose avocation later in life was helping other former NFL players in times of need, died suddenly Monday at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital in Amherst. He had entered the hospital Saturday for tests. His death came one day after his 65th birthday.’

‘The Buffalo Bills cut 14 players Monday as teams trimmed their rosters to 65. Both players from the University at Buffalo, receiver Drew Haddad and fullback Josh Roth, were among the survivors with more cuts coming by Sunday. Quarterback Phil Stambaugh, who did not play a down in the first two preseason games, was among those released.’

‘After an encouraging return from surgery to repair a bulging disk in his neck, an injury that cost him all of last season, Panos will miss at least the regular-season opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 3 after tearing a muscle under the arch of his right foot.’

‘"Tom was the joy of the defensive line," said Lou Saban, who coached Day in Buffalo. "He had a lot of spirit and a lot of drive. He was playful at times, but when the whistle blew, he got the job done."’

‘The Bills trimmed their roster by 14 players yesterday. Now comes the hard part, trimming to the NFL regular season limit of 53 by Sunday. "That’s the toughest cut overall," coach Wade Phillips said. "All the guys who left today didn’t have quite as much of a chance because of ability. Certainly the next cut, it’s about guys with more ability who have a chance of making an NFL club."’