Two Bills Drive

‘While complete details of the contract Price will sign with the Falcons were not yet available, ESPN.com has learned it is a seven-year deal and includes a $10 million signing bonus.’

‘The Falcons have called a 1 p.m. press conference today, where the team is expected to announce they’ve taken a major step toward acquiring Buffalo Bills wide receiver Peerless Price. It is not immediately known whether it is to announce that the team has acquired his rights in a trade from the Bills, or that the team has not only acquired his rights, but also actually reached a contract with him.’

‘The Bills might have to give up a pick in the 2004 draft, along with Price, to make the deal work.’

‘Contrary to some broadcast reports, the transaction is not complete, Falcons executive Ray Anderson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.’

‘”The one thing that’s a little difficult with this type of deal, if you put the offer sheet in, the team that has the tag has a chance to match it. We wouldn’t know for seven days, so that part of it is a little risky because you may be doing (the Bengals) work for them.”‘

‘”They made me feel welcome,” Spikes said of Bills fans. “So that’s a big plus. I remember one guy said: ‘Play well, Takeo. Just don’t hurt anybody so you can go ahead and get ready for us next year.’ I saw posters out there. I even (heard) some guy say, ‘Spikes, I love Buffalo, but I’m going to take my jersey off today and put a Cincinnati jersey on.’ And he put it on.”‘

‘For the first time, the Bills two home preseason games at Ralph Wilson Stadium will be televised on a tape-delayed basis. Channel 7, the ABC affiliate in the Buffalo market, will televise the Bills’ preseason opener at Baltimore versus the Ravens. The second preseason game at Tennessee versus the Titans will be carried nationally on ESPN. Home preseason games will follow against the St. Louis Rams and Detroit Lions. Final dates and times have not yet been determined..

‘Contrary to some reports Thursday night, the transaction is not complete, if nearly imminent. "Those are musings," said Falcons chief administrative officer Ray Anderson. "The trade has not been finalized. I’d like to be optimistic and say we hope to make progress [today]."’

‘The Buffalo Bills are reportedly close to a deal that will send wide receiver Peerless Price to Atlanta for the Falcons’ No. 1 choice in the draft, the 23rd overall choice.’

Bills OT Jonas Jennings, a former Georgia Bulldog, tells an Atlanta radio he got a call from Peerless saying that a deal was made to trade his rights to Atlanta. Details forthcoming and Jonas Jennings to be on radio again tomorrow (Friday) evening.

‘”Yeah, I would not have come if it weren’t for real,” Spikes said Thursday after meeting with Bills officials, including team owner Ralph Wilson. Spikes then pulled out a disposable camera and had a team staff member take a picture of him posing with reporters. “I just wanted to thank you for welcoming me,” Spikes said. “It’s for my scrapbook.”‘

"Spreading the field like we did, with 4 WRs and throwing all the time in the ‘run-and-shoot,’ that was kind of radical back then," allowed HOF QB Jim Kelly, trigger man for the Houston Gamblers’ audacious offense before signing with the Buffalo Bills. "Now you see it all the time in the NFL and not just on third down. People can say whatever they want to (about the USFL), but we tried to be exciting. The coaches had kind of an ‘anything goes’ attitude, you know?"

Best (Bills) Players: Jim Kelly, Doug Flutie & Scott Norwood

Worth remembering: The Run-and-Shoot was born here. Houston rolled up 1,162 points in two seasons, and QB Jim Kelly was the main ingredient. He threw for a remarkable 5,219 yards and 44 touchdowns in his rookie season, and followed that up with 4,623 yards and 39 TDs in 1985 despite missing several games with an injury.

"That was impressive by all the fans. I thought I was coming down to Cincinnati and Paul Brown Stadium in the last game of the year. They made me feel welcome. I remember one guy… 'play well Takeo, just don't hurt anybody so you can get ready for us next year.' I saw posters out there. I even saw some guys (say)… 'Spikes I love Buffalo but I'm going to take my jersey today and put a Cincinnati jersey on today.' He put it on, it was impressive."

Takeo Spikes, currently a LB for the Cincinnati Bengals, speaks to the media during a press conference after meeting with the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y. on Thursday, March 6, 2003. Additional Page