Archives for December 5, 2002

‘As for Brady, he’s still the same guy who started last season as Bledsoe’s backup. In between all the so-called jet-setting and celebrity parties, we still hear stories that remind everyone what a good guy he is. Only now, the legend just keeps growing.’

‘Bledsoe doesn’t expect the Patriots to use as much one-on-one coverage as the Dolphins did. “I just don’t think they will take that chance very often,” he said.’

‘Since the season-opening win over Pittsburgh, Gillette Stadium has had disappointingly few moments of noise and bedlam. Part of the problem has been some poor performances at home (where the Pats are 3-2), part of it has to do with the distant location of many seats and part of it has to do with the coziness of the indoor club areas.’

‘”I don’t want to give away our game-plan, but we have something unique for them,” promised linebacker Roman Phifer. “We try to keep it mixed up, try to keep the guys off balance and show them a different look.”‘

‘With middle linebacker Tedy Bruschi listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the explosive Bills, Johnson will be featured prominently in the middle of the Patriots defense. He’ll be there to squish the run, as he’s always done. And he’ll be there in pass coverage, a supposed weak spot in his game that he’s been actively debunking with his play in recent weeks. He’ll be there on blitzes, as he was during the first Bills game when he helped set the tone with a key 14-yard sack of Drew Bledsoe in the first quarter. He’ll be there. Even though three months ago, it was easy to wonder if he’d even be around.’

‘”Really early (in the planning stages) Robert Kraft asked me if we should do something indoors or outdoors,” Bledsoe recalled. “I told him I thought it was an advantage in the northern climate to play outdoors, especially with Miami and (Indianapolis) in the division since they play in a warm climate or indoors.”‘

‘”I’m fully a Buffalo Bill now,” Bledsoe said. “I’m proud of being part of that [2001 Patriots Super Bowl] team. But I feel at home here. This is where I belong.”‘

‘Now, New England (7-5) and Buffalo (6-6) both desperately need a victory to stay hot on the playoff trail. The Bills, who are 3-6 in conference play, probably need it even more than the Patriots.’

‘The Bills never seem to have much trouble matching up Centers against a linebacker because teams are so concerned with wide receivers Peerless Price and Eric Moulds. “You can’t double everyone,” New England coach Bill Belichick said.’

‘Drew Bledsoe and the Bills represent phase one of the Patriots’ four-step march to the playoffs. This is the first game of a favorable stretch for the Patriots in which three of their final four games are at home. It will also be Bledsoe’s first game at brand-new Gillette Stadium, but considering the important of this game in the standings, his homecoming shouldn’t feature as much fanfare. The real story behind this game is that it could help decide who comes out on top in one of the closest AFC East races ever.’

‘Of course, neither side is naive enough to believe that the fans in Foxboro — some still loyal to the former Patriots’ quarterback — won’t come up with some catchy phrases to scribble on their signs or blurt out something clever to say during the game.’

‘Williams, the massive lineman from the university and state of Texas who’d never before played in the snow, became an honorary Western New Yorker that day. On Sunday he witnessed and experienced the prideful bond the region’s weather forges among its residents. On Monday he went out and bought a four-wheel drive vehicle and a snowmobile.’

‘Q: What kind of runner is Travis Henry? How would you characterize him? BB: I think Travis Henry has a lot of strengths as a runner. He’s got real good balance, he’s got good power, and he’s got good speed. He likes to bounce the ball out and cut it back a lot. He doesn’t always hit into the hole, not that he won’t hit into the hole because he does, but he’s also a threat to take the ball outside and send it back to the weak side of the formation, or the weak side of the way the play is designed to go. He’s a guy that can really hit you on all fronts. He’s been nothing but impressive. I talked about him before the first game about how impressed I was with his running skills, his ability to break tackles, make yards after the first hit, and outrun people as well as be strong and run over them. I think he’s got a real good set of skills there to run the ball, and he’s also catching the ball coming out of the back field, and of course turning into a good runner in those spots too. He makes some big plays for them consistently. He’s had a real productive year.’

‘Q: In scouting the Patriots, in a lot of games this year, Antowain Smith has not been a big factor, yet every time he plays you guys, he’s a major factor. How do you approach that? GW: Obviously, he’s a focal point and, as we want to be able to establish each week, that you have to make sure you’re able to play the running game strong and he’s done a very good job in improving himself in the pass game and they’re doing a good job of utilizing him and we need to make sure we take the necessary steps to make sure that we can minimize the gains when he’s in the ballgame.’

‘Price’s first five seasons in Buffalo were under general manager John Butler, who became the Chargers GM in January 2001. Butler has signed several ex-Bills the last two seasons, including defensive end Marcellus Wiley and quarterback Doug Flutie, the backup to Drew Brees.’