Two Bills Drive

‘"I feel very fortunate to sneak out of here with a win, especially with the call on the field going in our favor. We’ve got to have a little luck somewhere along the way."’

‘Maybe it’s the holiday spirit, but can’t there be times in a 2-11 season when you have positive feelings after a loss?’

‘There’s more variety in the pope’s closet than in the shamefully predictable "We’re Toast" attack offensive coordinator Mike Sheppard flung at the Patriots, who could have – and probably did – defend Sheppard’s game plan in their sleep.’

‘"When I was in New England, I took my shirt off and my shoulder pads off and I had a Buffalo Bills jersey on underneath," he recalled. "The guy that just happened to stand next to me said, "No matter what uniform you put on you’ll still be a Buffalo Bill underneath.’ I thought that was kind of fitting."’

‘Quote of the Day: When Brady was asked if he was woozy after getting his helmet knocked off, he shook his head: "No. Who was it, (No.) 22, who hit me? He’s a little guy."’

‘”Losses are losses, I don’t know how you qualify them, they’re all difficult,” Donahoe said. “We haven’t had many things go our way this year and sometimes that’s just the way it goes.”‘

‘"Making plays, that’s all great. Kicking someone’s butt, that’s all great," Smerlas said. "But to have the memories of all the great people I met here, that’s what made football special for me."’

‘No one has ever seen a play like that. Hopefully, we never will again.’

‘For the second time this season, they made New England quarterback Tom Brady play like Marcia Brady.’

‘A good effort by a calm-and-cool Gregg Williams against the wily Bill Belichick. Defensive coordinator Jerry Gray did a nice job juggling his unit in the face of injuries in this epic battle of field goal kickers. Another tough loss but hey, the Bills are back in the race for the No. 2 draft pick.’

‘Bless the young, injury-riddled Bills for playing hard and hitting harder, but there was little entertainment yesterday outside of the Buffalo Jills cheerleaders dolled up as elves. The first two quarters featured nine punts and three field-goal attempts (one missed). Fear sweeping through the empty seats was that a soccer game might break out.’

‘The latest chapter in the voluminous collection of Buffalo heartbreak classics was written here yesterday, giving western New Yorkers yet another story to cry over into their Genesees.’

‘After all, four of the Patriots’ last five games against the Bills have gone to overtime.’

‘It’s been said that if you score, you may win, but if your opponent doesn’t score, you can’t lose.’

‘The sight of Tom Brady’s helmet spinning like a top near midfield was proof enough yesterday to something every Buffalo player will profess: the Bills have not given up.’