Archives for November 8, 2004

‘It’s no surprise Bledsoe has been a different quarterback these last two weeks, at ease and productive. Maybe infusing the running game with Willis McGahee has had something to do with it. Maybe the offensive line has finally started to meld. What’s clear is that Bledsoe is receiving adequate time to make his reads, that his confidence in his line has been restored, that he’s back to throwing passes with conviction. He was 18 for 30 for 184 yards in Sunday’s 22-17 win over the Jets. He made key throws at the important times and appeared thoroughly rejuvenated.’

‘"I think he’s doing everything that everybody expected out of him when he was drafted," said Bills offensive line coach Jim McNally. "That light is going on. He’s played very good football the last four or five weeks."’

‘Game Balls: The Bills will distribute them this week, but we give them to Jonas Jennings on offense and Chris Kelsay on defense.’

‘Coaching: (B) – – Good call to go for it at Jets’ 12. Botched clock at end of half. Defense starred. Offense rebounded from first meeting.’

‘Now the Bills sit at 3-5, with a Sunday match up against the New England Patriots looming. Obviously, I have already thrown the flag in on the Bills season in earlier columns, but for some reason these guys don’t seem to believe that it is over. Hey, whatever works for them. If they believe, I guess I can still believe. But of course, only if they can knock off New England and get to 4-5.’

‘Unfortunately for the Bills, the reality is just that: With this victory over a New York team that came into blustery Ralph Wilson Stadium with a 6-1 record and an earlier 16-14 victory over the Bills, Buffalo still is saddled with a 3-5 record. And on the horizon is the toughest test of the season, a night road game at the home of the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots that could very well determine the fate of their season.’

‘The Bills’ 22-17 victory against the previously once-beaten New York Jets at The Ralph was their second straight win and third in four games. Besides improving their record to 3-5, it provided additional proof that the offensive line is finally getting its act together.’

‘In other words, they won in spite of failed gadgetry and some odd personnel use that, quite frankly, doesn’t seem necessary and could come back to bite them in a future game.’

‘Watching the energy the playmaking Milloy has breathed into Buffalo’s lineup the past three games, including Sunday’s dominant 22-17 victory over the rival New York Jets at Ralph Wilson Stadium, it’s not a stretch to say that had Milloy opened the year healthy as planned, Buffalo would be at least two wins better today.’

‘Bills offensive line: Willis McGahee carried 37 times for 132 yards, and he couldn’t have done it without the play of his line. They blocked for 46 running plays that netted 157 yards, and they did not allow a sack of Bledsoe on 30 dropbacks, the second week in a row Bledsoe stayed upright all day.’

‘Say this about Drew Bledsoe, he’s not giving way to first-round pick J.P. Losman without a fight.’

‘”We kicked their ass,” said Buffalo defensive tackle Pat Williams, who tackled Jets running back Curtis Martin for a huge safety with six minutes to play. “It was a whuppin’.”‘

‘That’s right. Buffalo, which is going nowhere, bullied New York, which believes it is bound for the playoffs and a nice run in them upon arrival. But, as this is a league in which so many clubs are distinguishable one from the other only through the color of their laundry, there was little cartwheeling inside the Bills’ dressing quarters. Satisfaction, yes. Surprise, no.’

‘In his three starts, McGahee has rushed for 345 yards on 93 carries, an average of 3.7 yards a carry. “He’s very capable of making yards when things look bleak,” Mularkey said.’

‘”I don’t think there’s any doubt that they came into this game with more intensity than we did, that they took it to us and laid us out,” Martin said. “All the credit in the world goes to them, they played great and they were easily the better team out there today. And it’s frustrating to know that.” The Bills made little mystery about what they wanted to accomplish yesterday: keep Martin under 100 yards, which is usually a benchmark of success for the Jets. They received an added bonus when Chad Pennington hurt his shoulder on a first-quarter fumble. But keeping Martin under wraps was the key.’