Two Bills Drive

‘Joe Burns, a second-year-player from Georgia Tech, scored on a 13-yard run with 2:03 remaining to lift the Buffalo Bills to a come-from-behind 28-24 victory over the St. Louis Rams. Burns is the fifth back in the Bills backfield behind Travis Henry, Olandis Gary, Sammy Morris and Sam Gash. First-round pick Willis McGahee is expected to start the regular season on the physically-unable-to-perform list.’

‘"We got off to a good start. I think that we came out and we were efficient, hit some short passes, early on we executed very well offensively at the start of the game. We were able to take those first two drives down for scores. I think we showed what we are capable of when we don’t make mistakes is what I took out of that game. If we play clean football, and we don’t have the penalties, eliminate some of the turnovers, I think we can be a very good football team. We still made to many mistakes. The bone-headed interception by me in the third possession where I had a guy fall down and I just threw it back into the middle and didn’t see the linebacker. Those kinds of things we can’t do, but if we are efficient and if we execute like we did tonight I think that we are going to be a very good offense."’

‘"Travis Henry has a foot sprain. He could have played. But we only had him slated to play in the first quarter. In fact, if we could have gotten the ball back one more time in the first quarter, we would have finished the first quarter. But that’s all we had him up for going into the game."’

‘”I thought it went well,” Warner said. “We hurt ourselves with some penalties and some things early on, but I thought we moved the ball well and did a lot of good things. I think that was the best thing about this game, they threw everything but the kitchen sink at us. We had to see things and react quickly.”‘

‘Defensive line/LB: The defense did absolutely nothing but watch the Bills go up 14-0 the first two drives. There was no pass rush AT ALL, so Drew Bledsoe got all day to throw and picked apart the Rams’ young secondary.’

‘August 17, 1973 – Washington Redskins – L, 21-37 – 80,020.’

‘”It was like going from a truck to a Rolls Royce,” said former Bills safety John Pitts. “The War Memorial had its great moments and great days, but that was a dive. But the people there in Buffalo, I don’t think you could find no more committed and loyal fans. We used to race off the field because whoever got in the shower first – you got hot water. If you were the last one, the water was going to be cold. Even the guys that were injured, you could see them sprinting off the field. You could just stay back and see if that injury is real or if they’re just faking.”‘

‘The Bills are one of only three teams in the league that have two former No. 1 draft picks starting at corner. The others are Oakland (Charles Woodson and Phillip Buchanan) and Pittsburgh (Chad Scott and Dewayne Washington). That isn’t to say Clements and Winfield have proved themselves to be one of the top three tandems in the league. Miami, for instance, had two Pro Bowl corners last year in Sam Madison (a first-rounder) and Patrick Surtain (a second-rounder). Nevertheless, it’s a good situation for the Bills.’

‘A larger-than-usual preseason crowd of more than 50,000 is expected for tonight’s game, in part due to the Bills’ Kids Day promotion. Tickets for children age 14 and under can be purchased for $8 at all Tops Friendly Markets or at the stadium box office.’

‘The Buffalo Niagara Partnership will host its annual season kickoff banquet with the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.’

‘” I wouldn’t say this game solidifies who we’ll be this year, but this is big. We’re playing at home, before our fans, and we need to get them pumped up for the home opener.”‘

‘Bills coach Gregg Williams will play his starters the entire first half, which is normally how it goes at this point in the preseason.’

‘Kurt Warner did everything but throw deep against Tampa Bay. Warner should play more than he did against the Bucs but that depends partly on the play of the patchwork offensive line. If they struggle, or get nicked up, Warner may make an early exit.’

‘”London’s such a terrific guy. He’s what football’s all about. That personality, the toughness, the passion and enthusiasm he brings to a team. We miss him, obviously, miss his personality. We wish him the best.”‘

‘”Big London is going to be out there making noise and trying to do all he can, I’m sure,” Jackson said. “Knowing him the way I do, it doesn’t matter that it’s the preseason. We could be playing flag football, and if he was playing the Rams, I think he would be ready to roll.”‘