Two Bills Drive

‘Q. Buffalo is a proud franchise. How has the team dealt with losing? A. It has been hard for a lot of the older guys, especially those who have been here, a couple of them, for the Super Bowl runs. But the young guys keep working hard. You haven’t seen this team lay down yet. This team has a lot of pride. We’re playing some good effort football. That’s a good positive note to build on for next year.’

‘Veterans are stressing to the younger players how important it is to seize the moment and reach the playoffs. Only 16 Jets remain on the roster who played a prominent role on the 1998 AFC East title team, and for most of them that was their only postseason appearance.’

‘"I’m going to show what I can and do the best job I can," Ferguson said Wednesday, four days before the first start of his NFL career. "It’s not a position where I feel I’m going to go in and botch it up, although some people may feel that way."’

‘The Jets’ path has become very clear: win two games, get the AFC East title, the conference’s second seed, and a first-round bye. Win one, get into the playoffs. Win none, possibly miss the postseason.’

‘But amid the carnage of a transitional year largely spent cleaning up the salary cap mess that the new football regime inherited and trying to accelerate the learning curve for one of the league’s youngest rosters, Buffalo Bills general manager Tom Donahoe offered Monday that head coach Gregg Williams has done a terrific job in his rookie season.’

‘It’s taken the Bills three months to figure out how to establish a potent running attack. Little did anyone realize the answer was as simple as pitching the ball outside.’

‘Rookie Travis Henry, the Buffalo Bills’ leading rusher, will miss his second straight game with a sprained right knee.’

‘Aaron Glenn doesn’t want to be left out, so he’s moving back into the lineup.’

‘The Bills clearly have played better with Van Pelt than they did with Johnson. It’s led to a quarterback controversy that no one expected.’

‘Hackett called as masterful a game as Vinny Testaverde pitched in Sunday night’s thrilling, 29-28 comeback win against the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets ignited for 451 total net yards, their most since they rang up 524 yards in a 34-20 season-ending loss to the Baltimore Ravens last Dec. 24.’

‘The toss sweep has become the Bills’ signature running play.’

‘…he realized the main reason the award went to him was because he suffered a broken right leg, mended with a plate and screws, and came back much sooner than expected.’

‘Only one game, against the Miami Dolphins, with a noticeably large number of fights and ejections.’

‘The chemistry that has long existed between quarterback and receiver was obvious against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night, when Testaverde hit Chrebet on 8 passes for 118 yards.’

‘One of Bill Parcells’ first personnel moves as Jets general manager in 2000 was signing cornerback Marcus Coleman to a five-year, $20 million contract. Coleman, coming off a breakthrough season, appeared ticketed for stardom. Now he may get a ticket to ride — out of town.’