Archives for November 15, 2002

Buffalo at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

Two high-scoring offenses. Their defenses are pretty offensive, too.

Hulk: The crowd will dictate this one. The better team doesn’t win. Chiefs 31-30.

Since bye weeks were introduced in 1990, the Bills are 10-3 in games following the open date. Only Minnesota (11-3) has more post-bye week wins than the Bills.

Expect offensive fireworks from two of the NFL's highest scoring clubs. The Chiefs are coming off a disappointing road loss to San Francisco. The Bills had the week off and used the extra time to get healthy on the defensive side of the ball, which will serve as a blessing against Kansas City.

The Bills hold a 20-15-1 overall lead (18-14-1 in the regular season) against the Chiefs in a series that dates back to 1960. These two teams were members of the original six-team American Football League, with the Chiefs franchise originally located in Dallas.

The Bills return from last week's open date to find themselves tied atop the AFC East with Miami and New England and a game in front of the 4-5 Jets. Buffalo (5-4) watched the Dolphins drop to 5-4 with a 13-10 loss at the Jets while the Patriots moved to 5-4 with a dramatic 33-30 comeback win at Chicago.

The Bills would like to wish a Happy Birthday to the following Buffalo Bills Kids Club members: Stephen Meagher (Nov. 15), Jake Caplan (Nov. 15), Kiley Shannon (Nov. 16), Philip Limbeck (Nov. 17), Jake Lawton (Nov. 17), Douglas Tay (Nov. 18), Stewart Bovi (Nov. 18)…

‘The Chiefs have the lowest-ranked defense in the NFL.’

‘Despite a 5-4 record and a piece of first place in the AFC East, the Bills’ 2-4 conference record is the worst of the 14 contenders, matched only by Jacksonville.’

‘Like tackling a running back at full speed, it is Gray who feels every one. And like other players who traded in their pads for a coach’s whistle, he has discovered that doing it yourself on the field is a lot easier than getting others to do it for you.’

‘”Some people just have a way with people,” Fletcher said. “He’s compassionate. He’s loyal. He’s a guy who’s tough but fair. We had tough practices. We’d be out there 3 1/2 hours sometimes, but he was also a fair person. Once you were one of his guys it was tough to fall out of his favor. He would go to bat for you. He was a guy players had a special relationship with.”‘

‘”It has been inconsistent, very inconsistent,” Vermeil said. “I treat the punter like I have in the past with a kicker, and that’s you stay with him until he punts himself out of a slump. Otherwise, you get somebody else and you don’t know what you’re going to get.”‘

‘For the season, opponents have converted 51 of 116 (44 percent) of third downs. That ranks 26th in the NFL.’

‘”We tick ’em off one week at a time,” Gilbride mused. “That’s the key: Don’t keep them ticked off for too long, just a week at a time.”‘

‘”I have always wanted to experience life in another country,” Ahanotu says. “So I said, ‘Well, if I’m in Buffalo I’m too close not to do it.'”‘

Gray has been under fire all season long for his defense’s poor play, and it seems that Williams is growing tired of the defense’s performance. Williams was visibly angry at Gray on the sideline after the Bills gave up a 45-yard TD to Kevin Faulk. With two weeks to prepare because of the bye week, the Bills’ game vs. Kansas City could be perceived as a yardstick game for both coaches’ futures.