Two Bills Drive

‘The Tennessee Titans’ special teams nearly did it to the Buffalo Bills again. Buffalo avenged its loss in last January’s Wild Card playoff contest 16-13 Sunday but only after it held on against the surging Titans’ special teams.’

‘The popular tailgate T-shirt at Ralph Wilson Stadium read "Wide Right, No Goal, Forward Lateral – Screwed Again." Those eight simple words sum up Buffalo’s infamous history staring at the horse’s rear instead of being perched atop the saddle. The Wide Right refers to Norwood’s field goal from Super Bowl XXV and the "No Goal" references the 1999 Stanley Cup finals when Dallas beat Buffalo on a controversial goal call. The Forward Lateral kept brooding Bills fans waiting for this rematch since the depths of winter, and the game didn’t disappoint.’

‘But, as Phillips concluded, “All games are important … but certainly this one could be down the line if we have the kind of team we want later on. Any tiebreaker, and they’d have to come back here.” But, given their druthers, the Bills have seen enough of the Titans for this season.’

‘The Bills are tied with the New York Giants with the most "home grown" players on their roster with 40. The Bills have 31 draftees on their 53-man squad, plus nine undrafted free agents. Tennessee and Pittsburgh have the most draftees on their rosters, 33. And New Orleans and Miami have the fewest "home grown" players with 23.’

‘It was sweet revenge for the home fans, who saw the Titans end the Bills’ playoff hopes in the first round last year. The faithful came early to the parking lots around the stadium in Orchard Park and partied hearty.’

‘The Buffalo Bills scored a little Throwback Payback Sunday night against the Tennessee Titans. The new-look Bills opened the 2000 season with a dramatic 16-13 victory over the defending AFC champions. But it wasn’t easy.’

‘For those who thought the Buffalo Bills defense was going to take a fall this season, the guys on that side of the football had a rejoinder Sunday night. We’re still standing.’

‘"We looked like the best defense in the league again tonight," said coach Wade Phillips.’

‘Bills linebacker Keith Newman had two sacks in his first NFL start. The second one pinned the Titans deep in their own territory and allowed the Bills good field position in the third quarter. FYI: Gabe Northern, Newman’s predecessor, was waived by the Pittsburgh Steelers after training camp.’

‘"Our defense played well the entire game except that one pass to Moulds at the end," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "We couldn’t run the ball. We didn’t convert on third down. And we dropped too many passes. "Now we’ve got to dig ourselves out of this hole."’

‘It was a night of dropped balls and missed opportunities for both teams, but the Titans’ miscues were more crucial and would have had a huge impact on the outcome.’

‘The Bills opened their season with a pulsating 16-13 triumph over the Titans, their playoff nemesis eight months ago, but the price was an injury to quarterback Rob Johnson. He limped off the field with an injured left leg in the fourth quarter and didn’t return. Alex Van Pelt relieved and quarterbacked the comeback.’

‘With 11 minutes left in the game, the Titans were faced with a 4th-and-1 at the Buffalo 9 while trailing 13-6. Going for a field goal would have left them still in need of a touchdown later in the game, so coach Jeff Fisher decided to go for the first down. His gamble backfired when Sam Rogers got great penetration and threw off Steve McNair’s timing and his pass to rookie tight end Erron Kinney was broken up by Henry Jones in the end zone, preserving Buffalo’s lead.’

‘Rob Johnson’s worst nightmare was realized behind a horrid performance by his offensive line. He withstood numerous hits, while throwing for one TD and setting up two field goals, giving the Bills a 13-6 lead before suffering a leg injury. The goal was to shed his injury-prone label, but it didn’t happen. Backup Alex Van Pelt, however, had some magic in his bag.’

‘With any luck, the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans will meet again this season, maybe for the AFC Championship and the right to go to the Super Bowl. These two teams know how to entertain.’