Two Bills Drive

4. Buffalo Bills 6-10

‘Buffalo Bills Outlook: Like Miami, the key rests with the ground game. Team officials showed their concern with RB Antowain Smith by unsuccessfully pursuing free agent Lawrence Phillips. Without a solid rushing attack, an early playoff exit looms.’

‘For the few remaining skeptics who figured the phenonenom known as Flutiemania would die off during the off-season, the exact opposite has transpired. Less than a year after the six-time Canadian Football League MVP returned to the NFL in relative anonymity as the backup quarterback of the Buffalo Bills, America’s love affair with Flutie has continued to swell.’

‘BILLS (10-6): Can Magic Man Doug Flutie do it again? Why not? C has been upgraded now that Jerry Ostroski has been moved there from RT, where hulking Robert Hicks takes over, and rook Peerless Price looks like nice third receiver, freeing up Kevin Williams for KOR and PR duties. And WR Eric Moulds is super. Antowain Smith and Thurman Thomas led third-best rushing attack last year. Rook CB Antoine Winfield will shadow slot receivers (Wayne Chrebet) and shore up third-down pass defense. DE Bruce Smith can still rush QB and NT Ted Washington and LBs John Holocek and Sam Cowart can stuff run.’

‘The Colts will open the season with an encouraging, 31-20, victory.’

‘The Bills had the NFL’s third-ranked rushing offense last season (135.1 ypg). But more telling than the raw numbers is Buffalo’s commitment to the run. Despite the passing options provided by quarterback Doug Flutie and wide receivers Eric Moulds and Andre Reed, the Bills rushed a league-high 531 times in 1998. “Buffalo has the mentality to just pound you if they want to,” Fangio said.’

‘Apparently big bucks don’t guarantee thick skin. Throughout the preseason Phillips handled his two pricey quarterbacks like a pair of fragile Little Leaguers, granting them equal status on the depth chart as co-starters. But Johnson, the oft-sacked former USC star who fires bullets, but sometimes wanders into trouble, knew the score. “It’s Doug’s town and Doug’s team,” Johnson said, “until something happens.”‘

‘”I went to see the doctor yesterday and he said it would be in my best interest to sit down for this week,” Panos said. “But they all agreed if I absolutely had to play and there were no other guards here, I would play. “I don’t like the situation, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m going to listen to them.”‘

‘”Did we play a game yet that means something?” asked fullback Sam Gash. “My whole thing about this deal is to wait and see when the season starts to see what we do, what they allow us to do, and we’ll get it done. “Yes, we didn’t run the ball in the preseason, but I can care less.”‘

Look at this piece of idiot analysis:

“You can dismiss any team commanded by a Munchkin at quarterback: Chicago

and Buffalo.” Using logic like this, some guy named T. J. Simers manages to come up with Jacksonville beating Minnesota in the Super Bowl.

To this I respond:

Oh yeah, well our Munchkin beat your Super Bowl Champs last year! How do you explain that! Hmmmmmm?

Sure, the Bills come in at #6 overall here, but the Fish at #2? Get real.

As for the Jets…. look for them around #8.

“There is no quarterback controversy.”

Also, Sal calls Nails (listed 354) as “definitely in the 370 range.”

Panos won’t play vs. the Colts, giving Zeigler the nod. In other news, Wade also has this to say about Anthony Gray “”I pick the team based on all aspects of their play. I like Gray, but I liked the other two guys better.”

Wade finally comes clean and calls Flutie the starter, *but* he also says that RJ will see some playing time. This sounds a lot like the plans instituted for McNabb in Philly and McNown in ChiTown. Perhaps history will look back on the QB Class of ’99 as having a sixth member.

TBD columnist, A. James Nicholas is hot under the collar Bills fans. The new container rules instituted by the Bills this year at RWS are short-sighted at best and a big corporate money grab at worst.

Thankfully, Shout! and TBD have given him a forum to release some steam!