Two Bills Drive

‘It’s as if a mysterious disease sweeps through Buffalo government offices on a regular basis. Like last Dec. 2, for example, when 252 city workers – 7 percent of the city payroll – called in sick. There wasn’t a flu bug going around that day. But it was a snowy Monday, a day after the Bills played the Miami Dolphins.’

The Bills-Texans game this Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium is sold out and will be televised locally. A small number of tickets returned by the visiting team remain available for purchase.

‘Posey has 2.5 sacks, 3 pressures, 39 tackles and 1 forced fumble, numbers that mirror the production of the man he replaced, Keith Newman. Buffalo, however, has leapt from 14th overall in yards to No. 3, from 29th against the run to 14th, and from 27th in points allowed to seventh.’

‘Opponents, such as Bills coach Gregg Williams, have noticed. “I see a really improved Texans team. I really do,” Williams said during a conference call this week. “They’ve got a strong receiving corps. Domanick Davis has put a spark in their run game.”‘

‘”He’s the oldest living person with Krabbe disease,” said Kelly, who was in Fort Myers on Thursday to promote a March 27 celebrity golf tournament, the Drive Fore Hope Golf Classic – a fund-raising event to benefit the Hunter’s Hope Foundation, at Heritage Palms Golf & Country Club.’

”I’m not a trash-talker,” Posey said. ”I’m just going to go out there and play my game. And I’m going to have some fun.”’

‘The Bills could certainly serve as a case study of a schizophrenic team that, going back to last season, is 7-2 and outscoring opponents by an average 31-16 at home, and 1-8 and being outscored 20-12 on the road.’

‘"I’m sure the Texans will look at both what the Chiefs and the Cowboys did against our offense and what they had success with," Bledsoe said. "I’m sure that they’ll use some of those same concepts and same types of schemes. It’s up to us to address the problems that we’ve had offensively and get those things fixed. Otherwise, we are going to continue to see the same things."’

‘Fortunately for the Texans (3-6), conditions are expected to "warm" into the high 30s or low 40s by kickoff Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium, although it could be rainy.’

‘Gregg Williams finally admitted that the DT had a torn rotator cuff. Edwards has been placed on injured reserve opening up a roster spot. Jonas Jennings is questionable with a sore hip flexor. He did practice on Wednesday. Eric Moulds was given the day off.’

‘Besides his eight interceptions, Bledsoe has lost six fumbles. This season, Bledsoe has thrown red-zone interceptions in Miami, Kansas City and at the New York Jets. Last season, end zone interceptions in Green Bay and New England late in the year were killers. Against Dallas, he fumbled on a sack at the Bills’ 24, which led to the deciding touchdown, and he fumbled on a sack at the Dallas 25.’

‘The Texans rank 31st overall on defense and 29th against the run.’

‘Q: With 2:07 left in the Dallas game and the clock running, we did not take a timeout. So the clock stops at 2:00, Dallas runs a play, we take a timeout and they run their next play with 1:53 left. If you take the timeout at 2:07, the second play goes at 2:00. What am I missing? This obvious strategy is missed by 80 percent of coaches. Furthermore, if you have multiple timeouts remaining, use them all before the 2:00 warning. – Ray Orrange, Tonawanda A: Good point. . . . What are you doing between 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday?’

‘The 15 finalists will be announced in mid-January, with the new class elected Jan. 31, the day before the Super Bowl in Houston.’

‘Much of the offensive ineptitude has been due to Buffalo’s inability to cope with blitzes. The line is getting overpowered by the extra pass rushers, the receivers are not winning their one-on-one battles and giving Bledsoe someone to throw to, and Bledsoe has either held the ball too long or thrown it inaccurately.’