Archives for December 24, 2003

‘The impact he has had away from the field has been much more profound than those helmet-rattling hits he delivers while covering kicks and receivers on Sunday afternoons at Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘The Patriots play exceptional “team” defense. The term is redundant, but realize that it isn’t easy to get 11 to think and play as one.’

‘In a year in which the team is 13-2, won the AFC East, and is jockeying for prime playoff position, Colvin’s season ended after he fractured his left hip in Game 2 against Philadelphia while trying to scoop up a loose ball and run.’

‘The Patriots are averaging 3.4 yards per carry, second-worst in the league. In the offseason Belichick probably will look for a front-line running back. But for now, at least, he’s not looking at next week as the start of his team’s offseason.’

‘Drew Bledsoe is among those who are amazed at how far the Bills have fallen since their blowout win over the Pats in Week 1. ‘`It seems like forever ago,” he said. “It’s been surreal for me to see where we started and see where we are now. It’s been hard.”’

‘So, just what does crow taste like?’

‘”I’m on record that day saying, ‘We’re not as good as everybody thinks we are,’ ” head coach Gregg Williams pointed out yesterday. “We played well that particular day. We capitalized on some of the breaks in the ball game. They turned the ball over uncharacteristically and we capitalized. But I said at the time after that ball game and the second game that a lot of people believe we’re a lot better than we are right now.” He was right.’

‘”It’s been almost surreal to me to look at where we started [this season],” he told the Buffalo media yesterday. “It seems like forever ago. We were playing well. I think if you saw only one game this season and you’re talking about the last week of the season, one team playing for home-field advantage and the other team out of the playoffs, you probably would have though the opposite team would have been in those respective situations. It’s been surreal for me to see where we started and where we are now. It’s been very hard.”‘

‘In 2002, Milloy said he wasn’t in position to make those plays. He was forced to play deep rather than near the line because of the coverage inadequacies of Otis Smith and Tebucky Jones. “[Cornerback] Tyrone Poole is the unsung hero of the year,” Milloy said when asked who has been the Patriots’ best defender. “He has played phenomenally.”‘

‘”I think it basically is coaching and the players,” Colvin said. “Before I got here, they had already done what I wanted to do … The same guys that did it in 2001 are doing it now with the exception of a couple of free agents.”‘

‘”It has been a humbling experience,” said Milloy, who has been credited with 126 tackles, three sacks, 14 pass deflections and two forced fumbles by Buffalo coaches.’

‘”I had no idea,” Patriots tight end Christian Fauria said. “I didn’t know what it was going to be like after that first game. I was still in shock and a little numb. You don’t really know what’s going to happen until you get late into the season. Everybody was making a big deal out of that first game, but we just stayed the course and just kept trying to win, so I didn’t have any clue.”‘

‘Milloy pointed out that his replacement Rodney Harrison has been blitzing on a lot more plays than he did during his last season with New England, which, in his opinion, is why his numbers weren’t that great. “You see how I played the last few years, it wasn’t blitzing every damn play like he’s doing,” Milloy told the Boston Globe on Tuesday. “That’s the way I made my name in the first place.”‘

‘”That’s kind of the way we wanted it and unfortunately it hasn’t gone that way for a number of reasons,” tight end Dave Moore explained.’

”’It seems like you’re in a bad dream,” receiver Eric Moulds said. ”It feels like we can’t do anything right.”’