Two Bills Drive

‘While keeping his team competitive, Butler changed the face of the Bills from an aging team with fading talent into a young one on the rise that frankly would have reached the playoffs again this year if coach Wade Phillips had a brain in his head and played Doug Flutie at quarterback instead of Rob Johnson.’

‘When all was said and done, the Buffalo Bills piled up 579 yards on the way to a 42-23 victory over Seattle at Husky Stadium in the season finale.’

‘With a non-guaranteed base salary of $3 million in 2001, and with promising rookie Shaun Alexander playing well, Watters may be an offseason salary cap casualty.’

‘Rogers finished the game with 171 yards on four kickoff returns.’

‘Actually, the Seahawks finished the season as the worst defensive team in the NFL, having clinched that honor before the game even started. But just in case the Seahawks didn’t feel they had properly earned the title, they went out and gave up 579 yards of offense to the Bills – 1 yard short of the team record for defensive futility set on September 25, 1988.’

‘"We saw some weaknesses in their cover, from looking at film, that we thought we could take advantage of," he said. Weaknesses? They were more than mere weaknesses, because that word would do an injustice to how well Rogers abused the Buffalo special teams.’

‘It was lost in an October that was as bad as anything we saw in the 1990s. And Seattle saw a lot of bad football in the ’90s.’

‘"I told Doug, ‘I should have eaten my Flutie Flakes this morning. You are on fire’," Seahawk cornerback Shawn Springs said.’

‘"That was the way we wanted to finish the season," said coach Wade Phillips, who may have seen his job saved by his team’s performance.’

‘Because of their salary cap problems, the Bills have to seriously consider cutting Flutie, who turns 39 next year, but to his credit, he made the decision a very difficult one with his play in the snow and wind against New England and last night’s display against the Seahawks.’

‘"We’ve lost in the past," strong safety Henry Jones said, "but we never lost someone like John Butler accompanying a losing streak."’

‘The moment Doug Flutie took the field for the first time. You knew he was going to come to play, and did he ever.’

‘Buffalo Bills coach Wade Phillips didn’t get much of an endorsement from his owner.’

‘If Antowain Smith and Doug Flutie were playing their final game as members of the Buffalo Bills, they made it a memorable one.’