Two Bills Drive

‘With Pro Bowler John Abraham expected to miss Sunday’s game in Buffalo, his fifth in the last six weeks, Thomas will continue to start on the right side. Starting the last five games, Thomas had made 34 tackles and is coming off his best performance in Monday night’s win over Tennessee.’

‘He said he’s need to practice sometime this week in order to play on Sunday. It appears Bledsoe will be back under center this Sunday’s home game against the Jets. He is still listed as probable.’

‘Last week, a blow to the head by New York’s Keith Hamilton left Bledsoe lying on the field for a few minutes with his eyes closed. He got up and finished the series, which ended in a touchdown run by Travis Henry.’

‘The Jets have won two straight trips to Buffalo, including a thrilling 37-31 overtime victory at Ralph Wilson Stadium last season. Edwards is 4-1 against the Bills, while Williams 1-4 versus the Jets.’

‘Bledsoe apparently told Gregg Williams that he wanted to do more, but practice was scripted for the quarterback to alternate and Williams said no. Bills spokesperson Scott Berchtold said he did not ask Bledsoe if he was still dizzy or fuzzy.’

”’All I knew was being a hard-worker and hands-on,” Gray said. ”And you can do that. But the thing you have to do is not be so hands-on that you step on your position coaches’ toes, especially when those guys know what they’re doing.”’

‘Team spokesman Scott Berchtold said Bledsoe took part in alternating practice periods, and added the quarterback told him he was prepared to participate more.’

‘Bledsoe, who has been experiencing light-headedness and fatigue, threw passes, handed the ball off and did some light jogging during the five-minute session the media is allowed to watch at the beginning of practice. A team spokesman said Bledsoe took part in alternating sessions.’

‘What is the status of QB Drew Bledsoe?

He’s fine. Basically, I don’t even have to list him as probable (on the injury report), to tell you the truth, but I did it because it was a coaching decision. I kept him out of the ballgame (last week) but he could have finished. It was just a situation that we had the ballgame in control and it was a way for him to take a breather for a little bit and get Alex (Van Pelt) some time.’

‘Wilson’s generosity beats the NFL’s Blackout deadline of 4:15 p.m. today, enabling local CBS affiliates in Western New York to broadcast the game. All seven Bills regular season home games have been televised locally this year with sellouts prior to the deadline for each game.’

‘”Mentally, I think we’re a little bit stronger for winning that game,” said New York head coach Herman Edwards. “Now we have to prepare ourselves this week going into a hostile place. They have the same record we have. They’re fighting like we’re fighting.”‘

‘Wright’s story takes on an added dimension Sunday because he’ll be going against Buffalo, his team for his first two pro seasons before the Bills waived him after the 2001 season. But it’s hard to hear a vengeful tone in his upbeat Oklahoma twang. “I still have a few friends on the Bills, and Sammy Morris and I talk every week,” he said of Buffalo’s third-down back and special-teamer. “Really, we don’t trash-talk each other. He’s not one of those guys. But I’ll tell him we’re going to beat them, just to raise conversation.”‘

‘The Jets probably would prefer to face Bledsoe than backup Alex Van Pelt. Bledsoe has lost nine of his last 10 starts against the Jets and was sacked seven times in the 30-3 rout in October for their first win of the season.’

‘”I’m calling it a good hit to the head,” Bledsoe said. “The dilemma comes in that did I get hit in the head hard? Yeah. Did I close my eyes for a couple seconds? Yeah. When I got up everything looked yellow. But when you come to the sidelines they have a series of questions they ask you to find out how you’re functioning, and I was able to answer all the questions about where I was and what I was doing. . . . It was a hit to the head that knocked me out a little bit. As far as defining whether it’s a concussion or not, the tests they do to determine whether you’re concussed, I passed those.”‘