Two Bills Drive

‘In a game the Bills absolutely had to win to keep their playoff chances from fading to black, they turned in a clunker against the defending Super Bowl champs, who are starting to rev it up again.’

‘Pats TE Christian Fauria on the victory: ”It shouldn’t have been as close as it was. It looked closer than it really was.”’

‘QUARTERBACK: When it comes to New England homecomings, Drew Bledsoe proved he’s no Doug Flutie. Struggled with his reads, throwing four interceptions, two that helped dig an early 20-0 hole. Throw to the end zone that was intercepted was a terrible piece of decision making. Was outscored 65-24 by his former Patriots backup Tom Brady this season. F’

‘To make it that much worse, each of Bledsoe’s four interceptions were uncharacteristically poor throws by a player that has helped revive a struggling franchise.’

‘”I’ve gone against that guy a long time in practice,” Jones said following an easy 27-17 win. “He knows us, we know him. Today we had a little edge. Wherever he turned, that’s where we went.”‘

‘Four horrible interceptions by former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe, one fumble by Peerless Price, and all the Patriots had to do yesterday was make sure they took advantage in a 27-17 win over the Bills that Bledsoe handed them on a silver platter.’

‘Bledsoe, meanwhile, struggled against the Patriots this year. He threw for 630 yards and three touchdowns in the two losses, but was intercepted five times and sacked on six occasions.’

”’It’s not the quarterback that we are up against,” cornerback Terrell Buckley said. ”It’s the one-on-one matchup with the receiver. It boils down to you and the receiver and you have got to have a feel for the other team’s offensive scheme and what they are trying to do. They are tough to cover because their offense is based on where you are, and they run to the opposite spot.”’

‘What bothers the Bills the most is that they believe they are a better team than last season, yet they may have little to show for it at this season’s end.’

”’I wish I had gotten into the end zone,” said Seymour, who had the job done for him by Donald Hayes two plays later. ”It seemed like the ball was in the air forever. When it came down, I felt them on my back. I think I gave a nice stiff-arm [not really, he just barreled over little Travis Henry], then some guys [Ruben Brown, Mike Williams] fell on my back.”’

‘With old friend Drew Bledsoe standing under center only 3 feet from a touchdown, Jones made his first pick of the season when tight end Dave Moore came into his field of vision. Up front, Willie McGinest put the heat on Bledsoe, and just as Bledsoe’s left shoulder turned his way, Jones figured the ball was coming to him.’

‘It was, in a word, dreadful.’

”’Our defense was really flying around, smacking people today.”‘

‘After he caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady with 3:14 remaining in the first quarter on a well-designed fade pattern, Donald Hayes threw the ball way up into the end zone stands.’

‘Middle linebacker Ted Johnson was quite successful in stuffing the center of the field and turning Henry toward the outside. The Patriots were able to keep Henry in check with their outside linebackers and safeties, but as the game progressed and the Bills needed to throw, Henry wasn’t used as often.’