Two Bills Drive

‘Three yards and a cloud of disgust. That’s what Pats bettors got yesterday when Antowain Smith fell that much short of a touchdown in overtime as the Patriots beat the Bills, 12-9, on a field goal. The bettors needed the six points to reap a dividend with the Pats as 4-point favorites.’

‘The way the Buffalo Bills season has gone, they knew they were in trouble once the officials started reviewing their recovery of a Patriots fumble in overtime.’

‘The Buffalo Bills’ defensive backs scored several knockdowns against the Patriots yesterday. But the Pats refused to be knocked out.’

‘Remember J.R. Redmond? Tom Brady sure did. Redmond, the Patriots’ rarely used third-down running back, came out of a season-long hibernation yesterday, catching three key passes from Brady late in a 12-9 win over the Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘Even if you’re a fully vested member of the International Brotherhood of Brady, you gotta realize that the Pats survived him yesterday. Survived him on a day when he went 19 for 35. Survived him on a day when he took six sacks and, at one point late in the game, seemed to unilaterally decide to run a quarterback draw from the Bills 11 on third-and-9. And survived him on a day when the offensive game plan was finally designed for him to go long and he went extra long. Yesterday, Brady was Rick Ankiel in shoulder pads, Mark Wohlers with eye black. He was responsible for more overthrows than the busiest Central American revolutionary, and yet the Pats survived him.’

‘Some teams are good. Others are lucky. When a team can get both in its favor, it can win four games in a row and six of seven.’

‘Tom Brady has a good head on his shoulders. No thanks to Buffalo cornerback Nate Clements, who did his best to decapitate the Patriots’ young quarterback on a third-quarter scramble.’

‘The Bills had 310 yards in offense and 19 first downs. Yet, they managed only three field goals.’

‘"When you have a season like we have, where you only win two games, it makes it very hard to get those calls," Centers said. "It’s hard for the ball to bounce your way. For whatever reason, I don’t know why that is, but that’s the way it happens."’

‘"I had heard of the rule," he said of Rule Three, Section 20, Article Two, Paragraph C, which says the ball is dead when a player who has any part of his body out of bounds touches the ball. "I guess everybody knows about it now," Patten said.’

‘"I have never seen a play like it," Bills coach Gregg Williams said.’

‘In the NFL officials handbook, it’s rule three, section 20, article two, paragraph C: "The ball is out of bounds when a loose ball touches a boundary line, or anything on or outside such line."’

‘And while there’s no truth to the rumor that the crew that officiated the game received a game ball from New England, it certainly played a major role in the Patriots’ fourth victory in a row and third straight in December.’

‘"It always feels good when you win when you’re going against your old team," Smith said. "That run at the end put us in position to kick the winning field goal, so that’s extra special."’

‘There are many playoff scenarios still in play, but the most encouraging reads like this: If the Patriots win their final two games, and the Jets lose of any of their last three, the Patriots win the division title.’