Two Bills Drive

‘”We’re talking primarily with St. John Fisher and I’m confident we can strike a deal with them,” Bill Duffy, the team’s executive vice president of administration, said yesterday. “We’ve exchanged proposals. Have we reached a final proposal? No. But we are in negotiations.”‘

‘With the Buffalo backfield depleted by injuries, he could become the biggest longshot running back to make the Bills’ active squad out of training camp since Benedictine’s Jamie Mueller in 1987…The Bills lack depth at running back with promising rookie Shawn Bryson lost for the season with a knee injury. Antowain Smith, the top running back last season, says his torn groin muscle is still a bit sore. Veteran Thurman Thomas can still carry the load at 33, but not all of it. Thomas has adjusted to his role as a part-time back. Jonathan Linton had trouble holding on to the ball at Seattle on Saturday.’

‘According to the selection committee, the recipient is someone who has “set a standard of excellence that has had a tremendous influence on the game of football at the professional level and is worthy of special recognition.”‘

‘Andre Reed and Bruce Smith, who are starting their 15th seasons, and Thurman Thomas, starting his 12th, will see action in the Bills’ preseason game at Washington Friday night.’

‘Two Saturdays ago, the first day individual game tickets went on sale, the Bills sold a single-day club record 24,135 tickets. Team officials say distribution through Wegmans stores was the main reason.’

‘The Buffalo Bills rushed for 188 yards in their exhibition opener against Seattle. Not too bad an effort. But subtract quarterback Rob Johnson’s 53 yards, remember that starter Antowain Smith is hobbled by sore groin and add in the fumbles of backup Jonathan Linton and suddenly, the Buffalo ground game is a lot scarier on paper than it is on the field.’

‘Linton fumbled three times, twice deep in his own territory on Buffalo’ first two series. In the second quarter, he was stuffed on a third-and-goal-at-the-one plunge. On fourth down, he fumbled again, making a meaningless recovery. “I have no excuses for that,” said Linton, who found himself the center of intense media attention yesterday after practice. “I’m not saying the ball was slick or my arms were wet or somebody knocked it out. That should never happen. I’m a running back. I know they’re going to go after the ball. Nothing really happened, it was just a lack of focus and concentration.”‘

Notebook on Bills/Seahawks. A good bit of the article is on Bryce Fisher, who left Sunday to fill his service obligation. Another class player for the Bills, and one we’ll anxiously await to see during the regular season 2 years from now.

‘Erie County Director of Purchasing John Doyle believes the sale of thousands of old seats at Ralph Wilson Stadium may bring in as much as $100,000.’

‘Look for the Buffalo Bills to leave their long-time training camp home in Fredonia, N.Y., for Rochester in 2000. Wegman’s, a major supermarket chain in western New York, became the corporate sponsor of the Bills’ training camp this summer, the final year of the Fredonia lease. Wegman’s is based in Rochester.’

‘Early in the second period, after Bills’ running back Jonathan Linton was stopped at the goal line, officials reviewed the play and ruled that he had not broken the plane of the goal line, which supported the ruling on the field. The interesting part is that Bills’ coach Wade Phillips never intended to ask for a replay ruling. “I was going to call a timeout anyway, and the official asked if I wanted to challenge the call,” Phillips said, taking a “why-not” approach.’

‘The Seahawks’ defense made a number of big plays, forcing four fumbles and registering three sacks. And a second-quarter goal-line stand of four stops at the 1 was stunning. But the defense also gave up 188 rushing yards and let the Bills convert 60 percent of their third-down tries.’

‘Ted Washington, Buffalo’s immovable noseguard, was impenetrable.’