Two Bills Drive

‘Thomas, who is ninth on the all-time rushing list (12,074 yards) behind Smith (16,743) and Sanders (15,269), said there’s no doubt in his mind they were the best three backs of their time in the NFL.’

‘Allen is a first-time nominee, joining running back Herschel Walker, quarterback Boomer Esiason, special teams player/wide receiver Steve Tasker, tight end Brent Jones, offensive lineman Gary Zimmerman, defensive lineman Richard Dent and linebacker Sam Mills.’

‘It was my first time at a professional football game, and thank the maker, I finally have the answer to the question that’s been dogging me lo these many years – "Are you, Chuck Schading, ready for some football?" The answer? Apparently not.’

‘I never was and still am not a real rah-rah guy, but I have made an effort here to be a little more vocal, to take a little more of a vocal role on the field. But, as far as the meetings and that kind of stuff that we’ve done, that’s something that I’ve done for a long time. It was something that we did in New England for a number of years.’

‘"To say that this is just another game, I’d be laying and you guys would know I was lying," Bledsoe said. "So yeah, it’s a special game for me. I’m playing against a bunch of guys that I went to war with for a long time and a lot of guys that I have tremendous respect for. I’ve used the analogy for a while now that it’s like playing against your brother. You go out and play against somebody that you respect and somebody that you’re friends with and you want to win that one bad because you’re going to have to hear about it for the of the year if you don’t win."’

‘It’s not hotcakes, but the hot ticket of the week. A Bills-Patriots ticket is going for 275 dollars a pop on E-Bay. The rivalry between Bills Quarterback Drew Bledsoe and his ex-teammates and nemesis coach Bill Belichick is driving up the price. That figure is also in the ballpark for tickets advertised in the Buffalo News. A News 4 staffer checked out prices Wednesday, “The end zone are starting at 200 dollars, U.S. per ticket.”‘

‘If Bledsoe was unhappy with Bill Belichick’s decision to stick with Brady last season, he’s now crediting his former coach for doing him a favor by sending him to Buffalo in exchange for a first-round pick in next year’s draft. “I can’t imagine or look at another team in the league and say, ‘There’s another team that would be a better fit for me than where I am,”’ Bledsoe said.’

‘While he still has respect and admiration for quarterback Drew Bledsoe, it doesn’t matter to Brady that his former mentor is leading the Buffalo Bills (5-3). ”We’re in a tougher situation than he’s in,” Brady said. ”We’re the ones who are looking up at him.”’

‘After the team’s fourth consecutive loss, Brady appeared to question the commitment of some of his teammates. On Wednesday, he said those comments were misinterpreted.’

‘And now, some six months since the trade, and with the two teams scheduled to meet for the first time Sunday, there is growing concern in New England that perhaps the Patriots traded the wrong quarterback.’

Take Phil Crosby, the lead blocker from the fullback position when the Bills are in “I” formation. Crosby just rocked Detroit LBs in opening holes for Travis Henry, his college teammate at Tennessee. He drilled Barrett Green at least three times. Not only that but he annoyed Green so much Crosby also coaxed two personal fouls, retaliation penalties out of the angry Lion.

Johnson knows Bledsoe pretty well having spent the last two years with him. Two of his 14 catches last year came from Bledsoe in the AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh. Johnson feels Bledsoe would not want the rallying cry this Sunday to be "lets win one for Drew."

Keith Newman on the New England Patriots' four-game losing streak:

"They've played some good teams: Miami, Denver, San Diego and Green Bay. Those are tough opponents. It's not like they (the Patriots) have been losing to just anybody. At this point last year they were 3-4 and they won eight of the last nine and ended up with a championship. They are going to be a tough team to deal with this Sunday."

Drew Bledsoe: From the time this trade happened I’ve been getting questions about the game… I think I would be insulting my teammates if I said they were going to give a better effort this week. I think I would be disparaging them.

Steve Tasker is on the Preliminary List of Nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a special teams player as well as wide receiver (1986-1997). Other Bills on it are James Lofton (WR, 1989-1992), Joe DeLamielleure (Guard, 1985) and Chuck Knox (Head Coach, 1978-1982) and Ralph Wilson, Jr. (Owner, 1959-Present).