From: a750288@pan.mc.ti.com (John E. Brennan)
Subject: Patriots News 9/29
Keywords: Bills game, Veris gone
Organization: Texas Instruments Materials and Controls Group
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 17:02:19 GMT


Patriots News 9/29

The Patriots played a good first half against the Bills Sunday,  controlling
the ball for 20 minutes, keeping the Bills out of the end zone, and putting
together 2 decent drives that unfortunately fizzled.  The Pats went into
the locker room down only 6-0.

Football games are two halves long, however.

The Bills EXPLODED in the 2nd half for 35 points, 5 TDs in 13 minutes!  Ouch.

MIllen went 13 for 13 for 105 yds. and Leonard Russell gained 58 yards
on 17 carries in the first half.  After Dion Lambert stripped Andre Reed of
the ball after a 51 yard gain, the Pats put together their first drive.  New
England went from their 9 to the Bills 33.  Then a false start penalty and
a failed 4th and 1 plunge by Russell killed the drive.  After the second
Buffalo FG, the Pats drove again, until Russell fumbled on a pitchout at the
Bills 35.
The second half was all Bills.  Patriots highlights were Jon Vaughn's 59 
yd kickoff return (was that after the 2nd Bills TD, or the 3rd...) and the
2nd Patriot TD of the season (and Baumann MADE the extra point!).  The TD
was a 4 yd pass to Marv Cook, finishing off an 80 yd drive.
The Patriots' lowlight of the second half was the snap that bonked Millen
on the face mask.  Mike Lodish of the Bills grabbed it and went 18 yds for
the last Bills TD.

The Scoring:

B    FG Christie 42                      0-3
B    FG Christie 30                      0-6
B    Lofton 29 from Kelly (kick)         0-13
B    Thomas 1yd run (kick)               0-20
B    Reed 45 yd from  Kelly (kick)       0-27
B    Lofton 22 yd from  Kelly (kick)     0-34
B    Lodish 18 yd fumble return (kick)   0-41
NE   Cook 4 yd from Millen               7-41

Stats:
Rushing:  Russell 18-59, Millen 5-13, Vaughn 1-0, Stephens 1-(-3)
Passing:  Millen 24-33-1-202
Receiving:  McMurtry 7-69, Cook 7-60, Coates 4-31, Fryar 3-29, Stephens 1-9
            Timpson 1-7, Russell 1-(-3)
Pats OL gave up only 1 sack!!

Gerin Veris signed with the 49ers for $650k this year and $750k next year.
The Patriots best offer was $525k and $575k.

Left tackle Bruce Armstrong dominated Bills DE Bruce Smith, holding (oops,
bad choice of words) him to just 3 tackles and 1 sack.
Guard Larry Williams, playing for Eugene Chung, suffered a dislocated
shoulder. 

The Patriots linebackers began blitzing more in the second half.  Andre
reed said "They were doing some things in the first half that we hadn't
seen on films, different coverages and mixing it up more.  The linebackers
started blitzing a lot [in the 2nd half] and we were picking up the blitzes
well and making the right reads."

On Jon Vaughn's 59 yd return MacPherson said "We should have put the ball
in the end zone with a great kickoff return like that."

Next week the Patriots travel to the Big Apple to meet the also-winless Jets.

Take Care,
 
John 



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            
John Brennan 

a750288@pan.mc.ti.com 
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro