Archives for August 29, 2000

‘The problem for the Buffalo Bills was that opposing defenses eventually became untangled by Flutie’s antics. They worked toward shutting down the run and dared the Bills to beat them with their quarterback. And his arm didn’t scare anyone. This year should be different. Rob Johnson is the quarterback now. He has a stronger arm, one more suited for throwing downfield. He has younger, faster receivers, who can get open downfield. And he’s running an offense geared more toward making plays downfield.’

“He shot straight with me,” Reed said of [Broncos’ coach Mike] Shanahan. “Last year in Buffalo I didn’t get that kind of straight talk.’

‘The date was Oct. 17, 1988, the site the New Jersey Meadowlands. The Buffalo Bills were playing on "Monday Night Football" for the fist time in more than four years. For young Bills wide receiver Andre Reed, it was the first glimpse of the NFL spotlight. "It was special," Reed, now with the Denver Broncos, said Monday. "It was kind of a coming out party for our whole team, because nobody knew about us." Reed was a star that night, catching seven passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns, including a 65-yarder. The Bills pounded the New York Jets 37-14, went on to win the AFC East and came within one victory of reaching the Super Bowl. Reed’s performance that Monday night propelled him to the first of his seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections.’

‘When discussing "Home Run Throwback," the official playbook name of the Titans’ disputed kickoff lateral play that beat the Bills 22-16 in last January’s wild-card playoff game, Phillips referred to the play as "Home Run Throw Forward" twice during a news conference yesterday. He’ll never be convinced it was a legal lateral, he said.’