‘"Today we played an opponent that knows us better than those other teams (San Diego and Jacksonville) did. They had our number all day. I feel bad for the fans. It’s tough for them to keep coming back to the games and cheering. We played terrible. It was awful."’
BillsBeat - November 5, 2001
Bills need to do their share for fans' sake
‘They are inept on offense thanks to a woefully undermanned and overmatched offensive line and a quarterback who just can’t get over the hump and maintain a steady climb on the progress meter. They are just average on defense which is a nice way of saying they play well occasionally, but ultimately, their good plays are hidden by killer mistakes that cannot be overcome. And on special teams, it’s a complete crap shoot. Nate Clements returns a punt 66 yards for a touchdown, but the protection breaks down for the second week in a row and Jake Arians has another field goal blocked.’
Bills lose momentum, home mystique
‘They went up in flames, losing 30-14, Buffalo’s fourth home loss this season and sixth in a row. If this is home cooking, someone needs to check the cook’s I.D.’
Ex-center Hull winces as offensive line collapses
‘"A lot of people say give up on Rob, but I think he has great skills and he’s tough as hell," he said. "They just got to get that line fixed, and that ain’t going to happen overnight."’
Buffalo Bills report card
‘Guess three inspired performances out of Rob Johnson was too much to expect. Had a chance to win more support before the home fans but instead gave his critics more fuel. Played behind another horrid line combination but that’s a given these days. The Bills need more out of their $5 million man. Johnson was listless, his passes were off the mark for three quarters and two fumbles after sacks led to 10 Colts’ points.’
Smothering defense defines win over Bills
‘Quarterback Rob Johnson was the primary recipient of the wave of aggression. He absorbed six sacks, lost two fumbles that set up Colts scores and was totally inept until mop-up time late in the fourth quarter.’
Colts defense turns up pressure
‘By halftime, Johnson had one less pass completion in nine attempts than he had suffered sacks.’
No one saw Manning's TD run coming
‘"The linemen were all like, ‘What? What?’ " said Bills defensive end Phil Hansen, who was on the other side, where the play was supposed to go. "We were all in a pile looking for the ball."’
Colts back where they belong
‘Granted, Buffalo is awful, Rob Johnson has the pocket presence of a cellist, and the so-called West Coast offense is so inept, Bill Walsh is considering a lawsuit for defamation of offense.’
Rhodes loves fulfilling dream with Colts
‘Rhodes ran against the Buffalo Bills with an inner drive we thought only existed in Edgerrin James, the Colts’ star running back who grew up tossing watermelons onto the backs of trucks.’
James' uncertain status kept Bills guessing
‘The Colts included James in their weekend travel entourage, but were pretty sure he would spend his time at Ralph Wilson Stadium lounging on the sideline. They did not deactivate him until 90 minutes prior to kickoff.’
Colts-Bills report card
‘I don’t mean to question the wisdom of the men who chose Rob Johnson over Doug Flutie, but, well, WHAT WERE YOU PEOPLE THINKING?’
Colts 30, Bills 14
‘Manning, who passed for 421 yards in Indianapolis’ 42-26 win over Buffalo earlier this season, didn’t come close to matching that dominating performance. Then again, he didn’t need to.’
Indianapolis 30, Buffalo 14
‘It wasn’t as bad as last time, but it was still pretty bad for the Buffalo Bills.’
BillsBeat - November 4, 2001
Hull, Tasker honored Sunday
‘This Sunday before the Bills host the Indianapolis Colts, the team will honor two alumni with the Ralph C. Wilson Distinguished Service Award, as Kent Hull and Steve Tasker will be awarded for their outstanding service to the team in a special pre-game ceremony.’