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Are Bills ready for Patriot Games

By Rob Longley

How much longer can the unlikely run of improbable wins that has put the Buffalo Bills on the fringe of the AFC playoff picture continue?  About as long as it takes for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to fire up their offence in a special prime time date on Sunday night, it would seem.

The Bills have been getting their share of recognition around the league for a nice run that has gotten their record to 5-4. But they are back in
a different league this week. "Any time you start winning games, you get the feeling that we're going to find a way to win instead of find a way to lose,"

Bills defensive end Aaron Schobel told reporters in Buffalo this week. "We can't let them beat us mentally. We've got to believe we can win,
execute and see what the hell happens." Easier said than done, of course. These are not the New York Jets, who the Bills have scored two victories
over. Nor are they the Miami Dolphins, who essentially handed the Bills a 13-10 win last week. The closest the Bills have come to quality wins thus far were triumphs over the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, two teams which haven't come close to living up to their pre-season billing.
And now the Patriots come into Ralph Wilson Stadium for an 8:15 p.m. start (switched as part of the NFL's flex scheduling plan), seemingly
unstoppable on their run towards an undefeated season.

The offence, led by Tom Brady leads the league in passing touchdowns (33), points (355) and yards from scrimmage (3,858.) The Bills, meanwhile, scored just 300 points all of last season and have 143 so far in 2007. "I would say it's probably the most potent offence I've ever coached against," Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said of Brady, Randy Moss and the rest of the Patriots. "You probably have to get the Boston Celtics to score points with them." This isn't basketball however and the lightweight Bills offence, with J.P. Losman getting his third consecutive start at quarterback, is unlikely to do that. Consider that the Bills have scored 19 points or less in seven of their nine games, for starters. And then there was the previous meeting with the Pats, a 38-7 thrashing in New England. Plus the Bills will be without running back Marshawn Lynch.

"Record-wise they're the best in the league and they certainly show it on the field in how they play all their games," Bills coach Dick Jauron said. "We know each other very well, both the teams -- clearly we are in the same division. We layed them once already this year and they beat us badly in New England, so we've just got to prepare the best we can and play the best we can and let it go."

Border Crossings

Daunting Daunte? The Raiders have a special gift for Vikings fans as they head to Minnesota in an attempt to pull off a mild upset on Sunday. Head coach Monte Kiffin has decided on starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper, the former Vike who has a serious grudge against his old team. "He really brings you a spark all the time by the way he prepares and the way he practices," Kiffin said this week. "But I'm sure (facing the Vikings) is an added incentive." Culpepper's beef with Minnesota dates back to 2005 when he tore his knee ligaments. A bitter departure in 2006 included Culpepper's claims that he was mistreated. Culpepper has already shown this season that he is particularly dangerous against a former team. In the Raiders win over Miami, he threw for three touchdowns and ran for two others.

GOO-GOO FOR LIONS: Fans making the journey to Detroit for the annual Thanksgiving Day game should see a good one - with Green Bay as the opponent. And for your halftime entertainment, the Lions announced this week that The Goo Goo Dolls will be the featured act.

SHAUN OR SHAUNETTE?: Some fans in Seattle are down on running back Shaun Alexander who has topped 100 yards rushing just once this season and will miss his second consecutive game when the 'Hawks play host to the defending NFC champion Chicago Bears on Sunday night. There is a mini running back controversy in the Pacific Northwest with the suggestion that Maurice Morris should be the running back of the future.

PLAYOFF HUNT: Mentioning the playoffs and the Lions in the same sentence in November has been a sick joke for the past several years. But at 6-3, the Lions are definitely in the picture and are being told by head coach Rod Marinelli to enjoy the ride. "We talked about it," Marinelli said. "You should be stepping into a batter's box that we've never been in, and let's go. Let it rip. Let it rip, and let's go. Enjoy this process. You've earned the right. So, as a team, we've earned the right to make meaningful games right now."

PLAYOFF REMATCH: Though the Bears are clearly a shadow of their former selves, the meeting with the Seahawks offers some intrigue. The teams faced each other in one of the more exciting games of last year's post season, a 27-24 overtime win by the Bears.