Grudge match: Miami not the only rival for Buffalo

By Shawn Krest

It’s getting harder to hate the same old teams in the NFL. In the old days, the Miami game was the one "must win" on the Bills schedule. It had all the ingredients of a rivalry for the ages. The teams had familiarity, playing twice, and often three times, a year. They had the marquee names—Marino vs. Kelly was still selling tickets this August, years after both quarterbacks had retired—and it was personal. From Jimmy Johnson stomping on the box of Flutie Flakes all the way back to Bryan Cox’s two-finger salute, there was no question who Bills fans most wanted to squish.

That was then. NFL free agency makes it tough for players to stay in one place long enough to work up a good hatred. Cox is on his third team in three years, and fourth in six years. Expansion’s impact on the league’s divisions and scheduling also changes things. The salary cap is the final piece in the rivalry puzzle. Every cap casualty will say that it’s "just business," but make no mistake. It’s often very personal. Bills-Dolphins will also be a huge game, but it may not be the biggest. Below is a top five list of the Bills’ current rivalries. Like everything else in today’s NFL, it is subject to change.

5. Atlanta Falcons: Former Bills coach Wade Phillips was brought in as defensive coordinator. Bills fans hope and pray that head coach Dan Reeves makes him wear a headset all day on Sundays. Phillips has loaded the defense with former Bills Keion Carpenter, John Holecek, Henry Jones and Sam Rogers. The reason this rivalry isn’t ranked higher is that the teams don’t play until 2005. Who knows how many of them will still be around by then.

4. San Diego Chargers: Last year’s game between two teams headed for a combined 8-24 record was called Buffalo’s Super Bowl by none other than owner Ralph Wilson. A better name might have been Buffalo’s Civil War, since brother fought brother in the Flutie-Johnson debate. The headline names from last year are all but gone, however. Doug Flutie is a backup and Rob Johnson is a clipboard-toting Buc. Still, the teams play December 15. We’re a Drew Brees injury and a few well-chosen Flutie comments away from another war.

3. Miami Dolphins: It’s still a rivalry, but Alex Van Pelt put it best before last season’s game in Buffalo. In the 1990s, the Miami game "was like a different week. It was electric, and guys had a little extra." Sounds like a far cry from the 2000s, when Van Pelt and the veterans had to call a team meeting to explain the Miami game to the new Bills. "We talked about the importance of this week," said Van Pelt. "We wanted to give the younger guys a history of the rivalry and where it stands. It’s important to let those guys know it’s a big game for both teams. Coming in as a rookie, you might not know that."

What did head coach Gregg Williams have to add before last year’s game? "We’ve all been involved in rival games, no matter where you’re at, no matter what level." Not exactly fighting words. In August of this year, the Bills had sold out three games on their 2002 home schedule. Tickets were still available for the Miami game.
The departure of Marino and Cox hurt the rivalry. It’s hard to work up the same emotion for Jay Fiedler and Zach Thomas. Thurman Thomas’ defection two years ago could have heated things back up, but an injury limited his Dolphins career to one game against his old team.

2. New York Jets: They’ve been playing some wild games lately. In Buffalo last October, New York scored on two fumble returns, then almost blew a 20-point lead. In New York last December, the Bills scored the 14-9 upset—one of only three wins on the season—putting a dent in the Jets playoff plans. This year’s opener was another barnburner. The Bills dominated in yardage and time of possession, but two kickoff returns, including one at the start of overtime, gave the Jets the 37-31 victory.

Close scores aside, the games are not for the timid. The two teams racked up 60 yards of personal fouls last October. The Jets got that many on their own this year. Jets coach Herman Edwards threw some gasoline on the fire when he told New York papers that Bills fans weren’t that loud.

There are plenty of grudges to go around. Jets defensive guru Ted Cottrell thinks he should have been named Bills head coach instead of Gregg Williams. Sam Cowart thinks he should have gotten London Fletcher’s guaranteed contract. And, of course, Mo Lewis put then Patriot Drew Bledsoe in the hospital last year with what he now calls "just another hit."

1. New England Patriots: Bledsoe’s injury leads right into this year’s Super Bowl for Buffalo. November 3. Bledsoe vs. Tom Brady. The rematch will be 35 days later. On the shelf for two months after the Lewis hit, Bledsoe returned to be the backup. Rather than referring to the chance to "compete for my job," Bledsoe avoided a Flutie-Johnson type controversy in New England.

The offseason trade allowed some pent-up venom to escape. Several Patriots fans made the trip from Boston to greet Bledsoe at the Bills first training camp practice. When asked about the cheering section, Bledsoe said, "There’s a few people out there that liked me when I was there."

Bills receiver Charles Johnson, a Patriot last year and witness to the Bledsoe-to-Brady switch, wasn’t quite as tactful in his comments. "A franchise quarterback gets hurt trying to make a play for his team," says Johnson. "You play your whole career with your whole heart, everything. Your family’s been there your whole career. Then to come back and have your job taken from you. It was tough. That shows you right there it could happen to anybody."

The hard feelings run both ways. New England running back Antowain Smith signed with the team in order to get a shot at Buffalo twice a year. He made the most of last year’s chance, putting up 195 yards and two touchdowns in a sweep of Buffalo. Included in the total was a 42-yard touchdown run with two minutes left to ice the first game, and a 40-yard overtime run to set up the game-winning field goal in game two.

The teams were playing close, nasty games even before the trade. Four of the last five games have gone to overtime. Recent games have been filled with hard hits, controversial calls and bad weather. Brady vs. Bledsoe will make this rivalry a national story.

Williams was surprised that New England traded Bledsoe to a division rival. "Obviously, they don’t think he can do much damage any more," said Williams. "Obviously, we disagree." Let the games begin.