Two Bills Drive

Kicker Steve Christie connected on five field goals and quarterback Jim Kelly returned to the lineup to lead Buffalo to a 29-10 victory over Miami, and a berth in a third straight Super Bowl.

Have you ever wondered what happens to NFL players when their playing days are done? Read about Ray Bentley, Jerry Butler, Joe Cribbs, Joe Ferguson, Daryle Lamonica, Pete Metzelaars, Darryl Talley and other former Buffalo Bills players.

Special teams coach Danny Smith will return for at least another year, despite his units’ overall performance drop-off, in which punt and kickoff return yardage declined and opponent kickoff return yardage increased. The Bills also signed six other coaches, but their running backs coach or defensive line assistant coach were not among them.

The Buffalo Bills today announced that five assistant coaches have re-signed contracts.

‘The Buffalo Bills requested permission to interview Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander. Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan couldn’t confirm Thursday night whether the team has given the Bills the right to speak to Alexander. The Rochester, N.Y., native has been the Bengals’ offensive line coach since 1995.’

‘Lewis on Wednesday spoke with current offensive line assistant Paul Alexander about staying on but there was no resolution of his status. Alexander was recently interviewed by the Buffalo Bills.’

Writers in recent years have aptly described Bills Chairman Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. as "the voice of reason" and "the conscience of the NFL" and his fortitude may be best illustrated by the fact that of the original eight AFL owners only Wilson has kept his team in its originating city. This point was one of those more obvious reasons from the Buffalo News selecting Wilson as the "Top Sports Figure" in Western New York in the past millennium.

‘Szabo, 59, was linebackers coach for Jacksonville the past nine seasons.’

‘Meanwhile, according to broadcast reports in Buffalo, the Bills are interested in former Atlanta assistant Don Blackmon and former Seattle assistant Johnny Holland, as candidates for its linebackers opening.’

Jerry Rice acquired one of the few possible records he does not already own, most yards in postseason play — 2,132. Whom did he surpass? Thurman Thomas, who played seven years fewer than Rice. (You’ll hear the postseason yardage records, rarely discussed, mentioned a lot when Thomas is a first-ballot Hall of Fame entrant.)

The way we hear it, it would be more of a surprise if former Bengals head coach Dick LeBeau was not hired by the Bills than if he were hired at this point. LeBeau is a coach whom general manager Tom Donahoe has faith in from their days together in Pittsburgh, and Donahoe truly wants him on the staff. Since the Bills are looking to add more experience in the coaching ranks, LeBeau seems to be a perfect fit. Still, the Bills’ pursuit of the one-time Steelers defensive coordinator doesn’t mean Bills defensive coordinator Jerry Gray is on the outs. After Buffalo’s defense turned it up a notch down the stretch, Gray’s job may be safe – for now. But if the Bills hire LeBeau and make him the new LB coach or create a position for him, LeBeau could be in line to take over for Gray if the defense doesn’t show well right away next season.

Former Arizona Cardinal O-Line Coach Andy Warhop, thought to be sought by the Bills, has signed with Bill Parcells and the Dallas Cowboys.

The Bills trailed, 17-6, late in the first half and, 23-22, late in the third quarter before QB Jim Kelly capped perhaps the most brilliant performance of his career with a 22-yard TD pass to WR Bill Brooks, his second of the game for the winning points 2:55 into the fourth quarter.

And as it turned out, Bentley had to come to Buffalo to be with Kelly, who he had played against in an overtime game while the quarterback was with the USFL’s Houston Gamblers. "There was actually some controversy because they had a center by the name of Frank Kalil, who spit in my face during the game. And so I went over after the game and got into a fight with him. Kelly, in the paper, was saying what a cheap shot artist I was and all this stuff. So my first day in the Bills’ locker room, I went over to him and said, ‘You still think I’m a cheap shot?’ We had a good laugh over that."

‘Maser interviewed this week for the Bills’ offensive line coaching job, The Buffalo News learned. Maser, 55, spent the past nine seasons coaching the offensive line for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He lost his job when Tom Coughlin was fired as Jaguars coach last month.’