Archives for September 2000

‘Disgruntled Buffalo Bills wide receiver Eric Moulds has cleared the air with his coaches and teammates and is ready to resume his role as the team’s most marked man two. Moulds, who caught just two passes for 46 yards in last Sunday’s victory over the Tennessee Titans, stormed out of the locker room after the game, apparently upset with not getting the ball enough Bills. He refused interviews for three days, but yesterday told The Empire Sports Network he spoke with offensive coordinator Joe Pendry and felt better drive. It’s also known that Moulds spoke with all three of the team’s quarterbacks, Rob Johnson, Doug Flutie and Alex Van Pelt, about his role. Without released veteran Andre Reed, second-year pros Peerless Price and Jeremy McDaniel have to prove themselves in order to take some heat off Moulds. Until that happens, the former Pro Bowler will attract much attention.’

‘"We didn’t have a high number of sacks, interceptions, things like that," said linebacker Sam Cowart, who led the Bills with 186 tackles last season (fifth-best all-time in team history two). "We were a very conservative defense Bills. As a result of that, we gave up the least amount of big plays last year drive. That’s our philosophy. It kind of takes away from our players’ stats, but we’re able to do that and finish in the top three or four in defense every year."

‘Moulds is one of the NFL’s best receivers and look for him to test whoever starts at cornerback in place of the injured Mike McKenzie two. The candidates are Edwards, who has practiced and played at safety all summer, and McBride, who was flagged four times and surrendered a 61-yard pass to the Jets last week Bills. Moulds, however, was contained by Tennessee last week, catching two passes for 46 yards drive. "(Last week Tennessee) did a lot of stuff with their pass rush where we couldn’t get him the ball that much," Bills quarterback Rob Johnson said. "They doubled him in certain situations. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get him the ball more. Obviously, we’re not going to try to force the ball to him if they’re doubling him."’

‘Phillips surprised most Bills fans last year when he replaced Doug Flutie in the starting lineup with Johnson for the final regular-season game two. Flutie had guided Buffalo to a 10-5 record Bills. The move drew criticism, but Johnson was glad his teammates were around for support drive. "Last year, I felt the guys rallied around the change," Johnson said. "That made it easier to handle, because Flutie’s such a fan-favorite up here. The support I was getting was more from the organization than the community." This year, he feels the fans have come around. "I think they have accepted that as long as we keep winning," Johnson said. "If you lose some games, they will want the other guy in there."’

‘I picked up the recent edition of Penthouse and was overjoyed to find another quality piece of journalism mixed in with all those annoying advertisements and pictures two. In the story, Bills starting quarterback Rob Johnson says former starter Doug Flutie is "not much fun to play with Bills." Hey, you can’t blame Flutie drive. You’d be bitter, too, if your only claim to fame these days is hocking cereal and discount telephone calls.’

‘Too many mistakes on offense make Eric Moulds an unhappy man. After avoiding questions from the media all week, and amid speculation that he’s discouraged over his contract situation, the Buffalo Bills marquee wide receiver said Thursday his frustrations stem from the team’s play — specifically on offense — and are not personal. “I’m more frustrated two, not really to get the ball bills, I’m more frustrated for the offense as a unit drive,” Moulds said as the Bills prepare to play the Green Bay Packers Sunday. “Last year the defense carried us. I don’t want it to be a situation where it becomes a one-dimensional team as far as the defense carrying us each week.” Moulds added that he was particularly discouraged by the number of times Bills quarterback Rob Johnson was knocked down in Sunday’s 16-13 win over Tennessee. Johnson was eventually knocked out in the fourth quarter with a nerve “stinger” in his lower left leg. “I was upset about the way they were hitting Rob,” he said. “You could just see his eyes during the game, he was worried about getting hit so much that it takes a little bit away from his game.”‘

Dr. Z doesn’t have a whole lot to say about the game itself. Mostly, he compares and contrasts the announcing styles of ESPN’s Sunday night crew with ABC’s Monday night bunch. Still, it’s an interesting read, with a few nice comments and insights in it.

‘The Titans didn’t rush for enough yardage in Buffalo. The Titans didn’t throw enough downfield passes in Buffalo. The Titans offense, one that had sparkled in the preseason, was just nowhere to be found in Buffalo. OK, now tell the Titans something they don’t know. "We knew going in (the Bills) were going to play that kind of game," Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger said. "We told our guys it was going to be a slow, methodical game against a defense that deserved their ranking last year (No. 1 in the NFL). We were going to have to pick and choose, we were going to have to be smart, and when the one or two plays came free we were going to have to make them. "One or two plays came free and we didn’t make them," he added. "Anybody that wins against (the Bills) will have to win ugly."’

‘But of all his stats – the 16 fourth-quarter comebacks, the second-place standing behind Dan Marino in passing yardage for the ’90s, the decade’s lead in TD passes – one means more than any of the others. Come Sunday afternoon at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Favre will start his 127th consecutive game…an NFL record.’

‘Favre expects a better offensive showing this week, but knows that won’t be easy. He thinks the Bills’ defense is better than last year’s top-ranked unit. It doesn’t help the Packers that one of their biggest weapons, running back Dorsey Levens, is out with a knee injury. However, they aren’t devoid of talent. Antonio Freeman is one of the best wide receivers in the league. Fellow wideout Bill Shroeder is a rising star with a knack for getting open downfield. The Packers also have a couple of quality tight ends in Tyrone Davis and Bubba Franks, their first-round draft pick out of the University of Miami. Running back Ahman Green is no Levens, but he brings more game-breaking speed. Still, stopping Favre is Priority One for the Bills’ defense. "He can make plays any time, so we’re particularly concerned with him," Phillips said. "Normally when you give him a little time, he’s going to tear you up. He just didn’t happen to do it (against the Jets), but he still had them in position to win. He’s that kind of quarterback."’

‘Quarterback Rob Johnson thinks the source of Moulds’ frustration was the lack of receiving opportunities last Sunday. With the Titans paying special attention to him, Moulds didn’t catch a pass until the fourth quarter. He had two receptions for 46 yards, including a 36-yarder that set up Steve Christie’s winning field goal. Both passes were thrown by Alex Van Pelt. Johnson threw to Moulds four or five times without a completion, although Moulds drew one pass interference penalty. "I’m sure he is (frustrated) a little bit. I know I would be if I was him," Johnson said. "He’s an outstanding player and he wants the ball. All the receivers are all the same. All the great ones want the ball, and if they don’t get it, they are not happy, I assume." However, there’s also speculation Moulds could be unhappy about his contract situation. Moulds becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, and stands to cash in with a huge contract the way receivers such as Keyshawn Johnson, Isaac Bruce, Marvin Harrison and Joey Galloway did this past offseason. Moulds has said in the past he wants to stay in Buffalo, but the Bills don’t have enough money under the salary cap right now. It may take dumping some high-priced talent after the season to give Moulds a contract he is happy with.’

‘Perhaps the most impressive of the Bills’ new breed is Wiley, the defensive end charged with replacing the NFL’s second-leading sacker of all-time, Bruce Smith. The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Wiley has the Bills in the running to own the NFL’s best defense, again. That’s right, again. The Bills’ no-name defense, which was denied even a single Pro Bowl selection last season, had the NFL’s top-rated defense in 1999 even if most people thought that label belonged to Baltimore (which was second) Tampa Bay (third) or Jacksonville (fourth). "I don’t think we got our due as far as being No. 1," Bills linebacker Sam Cowart said. "If you ask a lot of people who finished No. 1, I think they might have said Tampa Bay or Jacksonville or something." If no one saw what the Bills’ defense did last year, which included holding Tennessee to 15 points in an AFC wild card game before the Titans used a kickoff lateral to win in the final minute, then they should have taken notice on Sunday night. In front of a national television audience in the 2000 opener, the Bills made Titans’ Pro Bowl running back Eddie George look like he belonged on the practice squad. George averaged only 2.2 yards a carry and finished with a mere 37 yards. Tennessee managed only 172 yards of total offense in the Bills’ 16-13 victory.’

‘It’s expedient to chalk up Buffalo’s 16-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night as revenge for last season’s Music City Miracle, but that wasn’t the cause. It’s also simplistic to say it was because of dropped passes by Tennessee’s Frank Wycheck and Eddie George. There are always a few plays that would change a game if you went back and changed their outcome. The reason the Bills won is because of good, old-fashioned, football technique. They did it so well that Bills defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, a Chester native, should have gotten the game ball. The Bills were able to walk away with the victory because the Buffalo defense, particularly the interior linemen, shut the door on George, Tennessee’s workhorse of a running back.’

‘The Buffalo Bills weren’t interested in making excuses for their lackluster offensive performance in the season-opening victory over Tennessee. They readily admitted they made mistakes, but the fact is it was just the first game, and the Titans weren’t exactly a nice, cushy opponent to kick off the season against. "That was a good team we played," running back Antowain Smith said. For all the missed blocks, penalties, errant passes and ineffective runs, the bottom line — as coach Wade Phillips pointed out — was that the Bills came out with a 1-0 record. "My biggest concern is the win," Phillips said. "If we win, that’s the important thing and that’s what I want the team to realize. The most important thing is to win."’

‘The Bills special team units are dominated by young players long on exuberance but short on experience, and it showed Sunday night in the season opener against Tennessee. Be honest. Every time the Bills went flying downfield to cover a kick or punt, you flashed back to the Home Run Throw Back, especially on that last kickoff return when Derrick Mason was streaking up the middle of the field in the final half-minute looking like he was protected by an invisible force field. Be honest. Every time new Bills’ return man Chris Watson went to field a kickoff or punt, he looked like a Little League outfielder trying to gauge a fly ball. "Just catch it! Just catch it!" many in the crowd of 72,492 screamed.’