Two Bills Drive

‘The Buffalo Bills will conduct their annual Cans From Fans food drive at Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. Fans are welcome to bring in cans and other non-perishable food items, which will be collected at the stadium gates by wives of the Bills’ players and coaches. Cash donations also will be accepted. The drive benefits the Food Bank of Western New York. Bills coach Wade Phillips and his wife, Laurie, are chairing the effort. "There are thousands and thousands in our own community who are hungry, and one small way to help alleviate the problem is this drive for the Food Bank," Laurie Phillips said.’

‘The Bills are looming, waiting to pay the Jets back for a 27-14, Sept. 17 loss like extra-hot Buffalo chicken wings eaten too late at night. "You can’t sit back and bask in the glory, you have to move on," defensive tackle Ernie Logan said, recalling Groh’s message. "We won. Now we’re playing Buffalo. "You sit back and you think about last week’s game when Buffalo is preparing to get back at you. . . . The Bills felt that was a game they let get away from them, rather than us beating them." There is a cautionary warning right there on game film of the 3-4 Bills. If not for receiver Peerless Price’s fumble with less than three minutes left last Sunday, the Bills might have left the Minnesota Vikings in an imperfect heap instead of at 7-0 as the league’s lone undefeated team.’

‘He’s officially questionable for this Sunday’s critical AFC East showdown with the New York Jets, the team he was injured against on Sept. 17, but it’s looking more and more as if he’ll play.’

‘Bills coach Wade Phillips hinted yesterday that he might make a change in his dime defense, and though he wouldn’t confirm it, Daryl Porter all but did. "I’m not going to count myself out, I’m just basically going to learn and try to help out Travares (Tillman) and make sure he knows exactly what he’s doing," said Porter. Porter has been torched the last few games for big plays, including the winning touchdown by the Vikings last week, and it appears that he’s headed for the bench in favor of the rookie second-round draft choice Tillman.’

‘Do not look for a Jets player among the league leaders for quarterback, receiver, running back, sacks or interceptions. The Jets are not ranked among the top offensive or defensive teams, either. There is only one place in a sea of statistics where one can easily find the Jets: atop the American Conference East.’

‘When Al Groh described his halftime tirade during the Jets’ 40-37 Monday night classic victory over the Miami Dolphins in overtime, he smiled. “I sang ’em a lullaby,” he said. Not really; a lullaby puts a baby to sleep. This lullaby would have burned little kids’ ears. It woke up all those big babies in green-and- white uniforms who fell behind, 30-7, before their fourth-quarter explosion on four of Vinny Testaverde’s five touchdown passes. More important, this lullaby showed not only that the Jets’ new head coach is in command, but also that his players will play hard for him.’

‘The first-place Jets (6-1) face the Bills (3-4) Sunday at Orchard Park in a game that screams of a potential emotional letdown. Coach Al Groh, trying to prevent it, addressed the subject in yesterday’s team meeting. "I think they’re well aware of the fact that most of (the Bills) had gone to bed, and so they’re not all that impressed with what we did," Groh said.’

‘It was overshadowed by Vinny Testaverde’s five touchdown passes and Jumbo Elliott’s improbable touchdown and Marcus Coleman’s interception hat trick, but perhaps the most impressive individual performance in the Jets’ dramatic comeback win over the Dolphins was Richie Anderson’s receiving. He caught 12 passes for 109 yards. Think about that for a second: 12 receptions. Only three times in the 41-year history of the Jets has a player produced more receptions in a single game – Clark Gaines (17 in 1980) and Al Toon twice (14 in 1988 and 13 in 1988). Anderson didn’t garner much publicity for his monster game, but it has been that kind of season for him – sneaky good. "A lot of people talk about me being the most underrated back; I think Richie is the most underrated back," Curtis Martin said yesterday at Hofstra. "He means so much to this team. He’s like the motor for this team. Once Richie gets going, a lot of us get going.’

‘"It was very frustrating and it made for a very unsettling offseason for me, personally," Flutie said yesterday in conference call with New York reporters. "I guess we weren’t winning by enough." Flutie, who will start for the injured Rob Johnson (shoulder) Sunday against the Jets at Ralph Wilson Stadium, led the Bills to a 10-5 record last season. He was benched in the regular-season finale and the AFC wild-card playoff game in Tennessee. "I went to the Pro Bowl in ’98, and I was the first alternate at the Pro Bowl last year, yet I’m not good enough to start for the team in the playoffs," he said.’

‘A win over the Bills Sunday would make the Jets 7-1 at the halfway point in the regular season, assure them of sole possession of first place for another week and make them 5-0 against AFC East competition – a huge tiebreaker factor. It, too, would leave the Bills at 3-5 at the turn with a debilitating 0-4 division record, including 0-2 against the Jets. In essence, a Jet win over the Bills Sunday would allow the Jets to just about bury Buffalo the way they’ve buried the 2-6 Patriots with a season series sweep.’

‘Flutie, who’s obviously not a real fan of the Bills’ organization for the way he’s been treated, was asked if he’s playing for his future. "I’m under contract for another two years and it’s very difficult for them to release me because of salary-cap situations," he said.’

‘Al Groh and a number of Jet players yesterday vehemently denied a report that Groh, in his halftime tirade Monday night, called the players "pathetic losers." Groh called the report "totally inaccurate," adding, "I’m not going to repeat what I said, but that’s nothing I would ever think of saying to those players. It’s nothing that I would ever say. It’s a complete and total fabrication." Several Jet players were asked yesterday if they heard those words and none said they did.’

‘The Jets, 4-0 against AFC East opponents, face the Bills Sunday in Buffalo in a game Groh marked down on his calendar long ago as one of the toughest of the season. It is certainly a dangerous game, coming off a thrilling comeback and facing a team that linebacker Sam Cowart said is "in a desperate situation." Buffalo is 0-3 in the division and has wilted with three losses in four games after losing to the Jets.’

‘"A lot of people talk about me being the most underrated back," Curtis Martin said. "I think Richie [Anderson] is the most underrated back, because he means so much to this team. He’s like the motor to this team. Once Richie gets going, a lot of us get going."’

‘"Richie [Anderson] is a big-play guy," running back Curtis Martin said. "A lot of people talk about me being the most underrated back. I think Richie is the most underrated back. He means so much to this team. He’s like the motor to this team. Once Richie gets going, a lot of us get going."’