Archives for September 15, 2002

CAREER PASSING YARDAGE: Last week passed Joe Ferguson and now ranks 25th all-time. He is 51 yards away from #24 Randall Cunningham and 869 away from #23 Norm Snead. He enters Sunday\’s game at Minnesota needing 72 yards to become just the 24th QB ever to reach the 30,000 passing yards plateau. By comparison, Bills Hall of Famer Jim Kelly reached 30,000 on 9/17/95 in his 135th career game in the NFL.

‘Expect Prioleau to provide deep help for cornerback Nate Clements, who likely will be lined up against Moss.’

‘Bledsoe has averaged more than 300 passing yards in three previous games against the Vikings.’

‘"No question we were lucky," Donahoe said. "Under normal circumstances you don’t get those guys."’

‘Five times a week, six when the Bills are playing at The Ralph, Ahanotu wakes up at 5:30 a.m. and hops into a limousine for the 90-minute drive from Toronto to One Bills Drive. He’s paying the driver, a Toronto native, $5,000 a month for the escort service.’

‘Mary Wilson is not only the first lady of the Bills, she is a live-with-every-play fan.’

If you are playing in the TBD football pool, make sure you enter your picks for week 2!

‘”I’m fortunate that I haven’t been in a locker room with a guy like that. I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of team guys who were out for the best interests of the team rather than individually. It wouldn’t make me feel good about having him playing with me.”‘

‘”Somebody has to make a big play, somebody has to do something to win the game. When you’ve got a bunch of guys knowing what they need to do, coming in here and working hard, good character guys who care, I think it will be a natural process and you’ll start seeing this team winning games.”‘

‘”Get another ring. I want to do whatever I can to make this team become world champions. I think we’re headed in the right direction. I really have a good feeling about this organization and the coaches.”‘

‘Buffalo has won only four of its last 22 regular-season games. “We need a win to get a better feeling about ourselves,” admitted Bills’ coach Gregg Williams, who’s 3-14 since replacing Wade Phillips. But there’s a similar urgency for the Vikings, who have won a mere five of their past 20 games.’

‘Vikings coach Mike Tice has created a rotating running back system, one he will operate by instinct and with only one assurance: Each back will get meaningful carries in every game.’

‘Michael Bennett: 5-9, 211 pounds. . . . Left Wisconsin after one season as starter, leaving steep learning curve for NFL. . . . Track star who has run 100 meters in 9.9 seconds. . . . Turned screen pass into 80-yard touchdown last season, but longest career run is only 31 yards. . . . Vikings need his breakaway threat on field, so he is expected to get twice as many carries as either Chapman or Williams.’

‘”Drew’s one of the best when he’s on,” Bromell said. “When that guy is in a zone, he’s hard to beat. He was a star in New England and he looks like’s on his way again.”‘

‘Gregg Williams knows how to motivate his players. In spite of a terrible season – the Bills finished 3-13 – the Bills played hard the entire season. They upset the Jets at the Meadowlands 14-9, and they took the New England Patriots to overtime in December. But the Bills made significant upgrades to this team during the offseason, and Williams must produce better results.’