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Sen. Charles Schumer, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to meet with Bills owner about future

February 13, 2008
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and state Sen. Charles Schumer will meet with Bills owner Ralph Wilson to explore ways to keep the team in Buffalo.

With NFL approval, Wilson scheduled some Bills preseason and regular-season games at the 50,000-capacity Rogers Centre in Toronto. The decision has led to speculation that the franchise will one day move north.

"Commissioner Goodell is committed to doing anything he and the league can to keep the Bills in Buffalo," Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday after meeting with Goodell in Washington.


The league approved the deal to send the Bills north for one game per season through 2012. They will also play three preseason games in Toronto during that period. The Toronto partners are Blue Jays owner Ted Rogers and Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors.

"Hey, I can't speculate what's going to happen in the future," Wilson said last week when asked about the Bills moving north. "But don't worry. Don't worry right now."

Rep. Brian Higgins, from Buffalo, also met with Goodell. In a letter to the commissioner, Higgins asked the league to consider amending its constitution to either allow full community ownership, modeled after the Green Bay Packers, whose fans bought the team before the NFL prohibited such arrangements, or at least a minority stake.

The team's lease with Erie County extends until 2012.

Wilson, 89, says his family is not interested in running the franchise after him.

"Ralph's heart, I have no doubt, his heart is in keeping the Bills in Buffalo. If money were his only goal he would have moved them a long time ago," Schumer said.

(FEBRUARY 5, 2008) - Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Joe Ferguson is in intensive care at a Houston, Texas hospital this morning, after developing pneumonia while battling leukemia.

According to a website updated by his wife and the "Friends of Joe Ferguson", he is now in intensive care at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Back in 2005, Ferguson was diagnosed with Stage 4 Burkitt's Lymphoma.

Here was the latest update, as posted on the site: "Although still in ICU, Joe has made a small improvement this morning. He had a good night and is beginning to get some of his color back. He is still on the oxygen but both his blood pressure and heart rate are lower. Joe's blood count is still low, but better than it was previously. Please continue with your prayers. God is good and He will hear us."

Ferguson, drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1973, was the team's starting quarterback through 1984.

Those interested in forwarding their thoughts are encouraged to email them to jferguson@lindsey.com

Buffalo 10, Atlanta 1

Preview - Box Score - Recap - Highlights

January 18, 2008

AP - Jan 18, 11:10 pm EST

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Ryan Miller had a good feeling Friday was going to be the night the Sabres ended their lengthy winless skid. The goalie even figured it could be a blowout. He couldn't have been more right.

Drew Stafford and Derek Roy had hat tricks and Buffalo routed the Atlanta Thrashers 10-1 to end a 10-game stretch without a win.

Thomas Vanek and Jochen Hecht each had a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who got off to a fast start with four goals in the first period. It was Stafford's first three-goal game, and he also had two assists for a career-high five points, while Roy registered his third career hat trick and added an assist.

Miller made his prediction over lunch with teammates Tim Connolly and Maxim Afinogenov,

"I said, 'You know, it's just going to have to be one of those games where everybody's clicking and we win something ridiculous like 7-1,"' Miller said. "Even my one-cent prediction got blown away."

And how. Buffalo, which came within two games of tying a franchise-record 12-game winless stretch set in 1991 and matched in 2002, scored its most goals since a 10-1 win over Los Angeles in Jan. 2006. That was also the last time two Sabres players had hat tricks in the same game for the first time since Jason Pominville and Hecht did so against the Kings.

"It doesn't happen often, scoring 10 goals in a game," Roy said. "I think everybody was anxious to get out there and contribute."

Daniel Paille and Ales Kotalik also scored for the Sabres, who won for the first time since a 6-5 shootout victory over Philadelphia on Dec. 22. They had scored just 16 times during their 10-game winless stretch.

"We weren't trying to do anything fancy, we were just trying to outwork them," Stafford said. "It feels good to finally win."

Colin Stuart scored for Atlanta, which was playing 24 hours after losing in a shootout to Montreal. The loss, coupled with Carolina's win over Edmonton on Friday, dropped the Thrashers out of first place in the Southeast Division.

Atlanta goalie Johan Hedberg allowed four goals on 11 shots before being pulled 12:41 into the game. Kari Lehtonen gave up three more goals on 21 shots through the second period before Hedberg returned for the third. He finished with 21 saves overall.

It was the most goals allowed by Atlanta in franchise history.

"This feeling is something I don't want to feel again," Hedberg said.

"It's our most embarrassing loss in a long, long time," captain Bobby Holik said. "I don't think the team needs losses like this to learn from."

The Sabres followed their four-goal first with three more in the second. They also netted three goals on the power play overall, the first time in six games they were able to convert with the man advantage.

Paille scored just 1:54 in, and Stafford made it 2-0 at 5:14. Roy, returning after a four-game absence because of a shoulder injury, capped the Sabres' opening-period barrage with two goals in under a 4-minute span.

Stuart made it 4-1 at 10:08 of the first with a short-handed goal.

After pumping 16 shots on goal in the first 20 minutes, the Sabres followed with another 16 in the second, with Hecht, Roy and Vanek each scoring.

Stafford made it 8-1 8 minutes into the third, then completed his three-goal night with his 11th of the year at 11:38.

Kotalik capped the scoring with a power-play goal with 2:18 left in the third after Thrashers forward Eric Boulton picked up 29 minutes in penalties when he instigated a scrum involving Hecht at 12:49.

Sabres forward Michael Ryan sustained an eye injury late in the game when Stuart high-sticked him.

Notes

The Sabres will play their next seven games on the road. ... Hedberg made his first start in five games, and just his eighth appearance in the past 25 games. ... Atlanta LW Brad Larsen (groin) missed his third game. ... Lehtonen was yanked after allowing five goals in 40 minutes in Buffalo's 6-0 win over Atlanta in October. ... Buffalo defenseman Dmitri Kalinin added three assists, his first points since the season opener. ... Atlanta LW Ilya Kovalchuk was held without a point for the second straight game after an 10-game point streak.

New Jersey 3, Buffalo 2, SO

By JOHN WAWROW, AP Sports Writer
January 12, 2008

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Even on an off night, Martin Brodeur can come up with the big stops when the New Jersey Devils need them most.

Brodeur shook off two fluke first-period goals to stop the final 20 shots he faced, including two in a shootout, allowing the Devils to rally to a 3-2 victory over the free-falling Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

While the Sabres lamented how they squandered a two-goal lead to extend their winless streak to nine games (0-4-5), Brodeur was able to sit back in his locker and smile. It didn't matter that he allowed Daniel Paille to score twice, the second one from a bad angle, the puck somehow sneaking in between Brodeur's skate and the left post.

What was important was how the Devils found a way to bounce back.

"For some reason we stayed in there and they didn't score that big goal they needed to take a big advantage on us," said Brodeur, who allowed two goals on the first five shots he faced. "They let us hang around and we made them pay."

New Jersey's David Clarkson forced overtime by scoring on a wraparound with 67 seconds left in regulation. Brodeur then did his part, first foiling Henrik Tallinder's one-timer from the slot with 34 seconds left in overtime, and then stopping Ales Kotalik and Thomas Vanek on what proved to be two weak shootout chances.

After Brian Gionta scored New Jersey's first shootout goal, Patrik Elias sealed the win by slipping a backhander through Ryan Miller's legs.

It's the fourth time the Devils have won this season when trailing by two goals. And they're 3-0 against the Sabres, all three victories decided in a shootout.

"We found a way to win," Sergei Brylin said. "Call it whatever you want, but two points is two points."

Two points is something the Sabres haven't produced since a 6-5 shootout win at Philadelphia on Dec. 22. The nine-game drought is now the fourth-longest in team history, and worst since the Sabres went through an 0-9-2-1 skid during the 2002-03 season.

The Sabres haven't been playing poorly. The loss to New Jersey was their third straight decided in a shootout. And yet, Buffalo continues to struggle offensively -- having produced 11 goals in its past nine games -- and the killer instinct the team possessed when it ran away with the regular-season title last year is missing.

"We're playing good hockey," said Miller, who had a tough night despite stopping 23 shots. "We're not just going through the motions. We haven't been getting the victories."

Paul Martin cut the Sabres' lead to 2-1 late in the second period when his shot from the right point knuckled in off the webbing of Miller's glove. Clarkson scored from beside the net when Miller was late getting down to protect the short side.

"I wasn't thrilled with the last goal," Miller said. "The puck hits a skate and goes right to a guy I didn't see. It's kind of what we're going through."

Even Brodeur felt bad for the Sabres.

"They're snakebit it looks like," Brodeur said. "I thought they outplayed us. I thought they probably deserved better. But I think when you're not winning, sometimes you find ways to lose games."

That's not a problem for the Devils, who are 8-2-0 in their past 10 and 19-5-1 in their past 25.

Brodeur's also on a roll. He improved to 8-1-0 in his past nine starts, a stretch in which he's allowed only 12 goals.

Notes

The Sabres play eight of their next nine games on the road. ... Devils C John Madden played in his 600th career game but missed the third period when he was cut by a skate. ... Paille's opening goal, scored 58 seconds in, was the earliest scored by Buffalo this season. ... Brodeur hadn't allowed two goals in the opening period since giving up three in a 4-3 overtime win over Boston on Dec. 5.

Buffalo 2, NY Islanders 1

Preview - Box Score - Recap - Highlights

By IRA PODELL, AP Hockey Writer
December 19, 2007

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- There were no on-ice signs that the New York Islanders missed Chris Simon.

They played with energy, focus, drive, and made it a very busy night for Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller. They just couldn't score enough, which isn't Simon's job anyway.

Maxim Afinogenov scored with 2:17 left in the third period, just as Buffalo's sixth power play ended, and Miller made 42 saves to lift the Sabres to a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Wednesday night.

New York even out-hit the Sabres 25-10, despite the loss of Simon, who earlier in the day was handed an NHL-record, 30-game suspension. The Islanders' lone goal was scored by their resident hardest-hitter Brendan Witt, who tied the game in the third period with his first goal in nearly a year.

"We did everything but score," Islanders captain Bill Guerin said. "We have the hard work part down, but it's still a loss."


For the second time in nine months, Simon received an NHL-record long suspension. This time he was banished following his slew foot and skate stomp against Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu in New York's 3-2 home loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Simon, already granted a leave by the Islanders on Monday so he could seek counseling, isn't eligible to return from his eighth NHL suspension until Feb. 21. He was suspended 25 games in March, a penalty that carried over to the first five games of this season

"That's what the league felt he deserved so we have to live by that, and we will," Guerin said.

Dealing with their seventh loss in eight games (1-6-1), despite a 43-17 shots advantage was also tough to take.

After five failed Buffalo advantages, Afinogenov took a cross-zone pass from Brian Campbell in the right circle. With a knee down on the dot, Afinogenov got just enough of the puck to send it past the right arm of Rick DiPietro.

That helped Buffalo win its fourth straight. Derek Roy also scored for the Sabres, who split the four-game series after losing twice to the Islanders in the first two games of the season.

It took a rare goal from Witt on New York's 30th shot for the Islanders to tie it at 3:50 of the third period.


Fellow defenseman Radek Martinek made a fine play to keep the puck in the Buffalo zone at the right point and moved it over to Witt. He wound up above the left circle, sending a shot through a jumping screen by Sean Bergenheim for his first goal in 71 games, dating to Jan. 9 against the New York Rangers.

"You get a few shots, and you start to feel more comfortable out there," Miller said. "The goal that got by, I was putting up my glove in a defensive position, and I didn't see the puck until it was too late."

DiPietro kept it tied shortly after the Islanders' fourth failed power play of the night when he stretched out to block Thomas Vanek's spinning back-hander with his left pad.

Buffalo entered with the NHL's seventh-best power play, but lost Roy in the first period and fellow center Tim Connolly in the third. Roy injured a shoulder, and Connolly was forced out by the flu. X-rays on Roy were negative.

"He had what you'd call a nerve stinger, and we decided to hold him out the rest of the game. Tim is just sick," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "We've lost these kind of games in the past. When you lose your top two centers, and they're your playmaking centers, you have to win some games ugly. That was probably the most shots we've allowed in a while."

The Sabres led 1-0 after the first period despite being outshot 14-5, and protected that advantage all the way through the scoreless second when the Islanders held a 27-12 edge in shots.

Roy fired a shot that hit New York defenseman Freddy Meyer, and the rebound kicked back to Roy. The next drive hit DiPietro's left leg and continued into the net at 6:11 on Buffalo's first shot.

It was quite a different defensive stance by the Islanders, who allowed 41 shots in a 5-3 loss at Buffalo last Wednesday. That started the Sabres' winning streak in which they have outscored opponents 15-8.

"We played the game we wanted to play. We played smart," DiPietro said. "Buffalo's bread and butter is their power play. You don't want to get to the box too many times. Unfortunately it ended up costing us at the end."

Notes

RW Blake Comeau, recalled by the Islanders to fill Simon's roster spot, played on a checking line with Richard Park and Tim Jackman. ... Buffalo became the ninth NHL team to reach 100 goals this season. New York has an NHL-low 72.

Boston 4, Buffalo 1

Preview - Box Score - Recap - Highlights

December 10, 2007

AP - Dec 10, 9:56 pm EST

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Alex Auld is quickly earning the respect of his Boston teammates.

Auld made 44 saves in his second start since being acquired from Phoenix on Thursday, and Marc Savard had a goal and assist to lift the Bruins to a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.

Auld was spectacular in his second straight win, and made several scintillating saves in the second and third periods when Boston was outshot by a 33-15 margin.

"When he played for Florida last year he had our number, so I knew he was a good goaltender," Savard said. "Phoenix had a lot of goalies, so their loss is our gain right now for sure."

The 26-year-old Auld was just 3-6 with a 3.54 goals-against average and one shutout in nine games with the Coyotes this season before being assigned to San Antonio of the AHL. He made 25 saves in his Boston debut Saturday at Toronto, a 2-1 Bruins win.

"I have a lot of confidence in what I can do, but at the same time you don't want to get too ahead of yourself," Auld said. "I feel I can play in this league and I feel it's where I belong."

Despite Auld's play, Boston coach Claude Julien said Tim Thomas will continue to be Boston's starter when he fully recovers from a groin injury sustained last week. Still, Julien praised Auld's showing against the Sabres.

"It's nice to have a situation where you can depend on who you are going to put in there," he said. "It was a solid performance on his part. The outcome could have been a lot different, especially if he hadn't bailed us out there in the second period."

P.J. Axelsson, Peter Schaefer and Glen Metropolit also scored for the Bruins, who won their second straight and third in five games.

"It wasn't one of our best efforts," Savard said. "We don't want to ride our lead like we did tonight. Thankfully, we had Alex back there. ... He was fantastic."

Jaroslav Spacek scored for Buffalo, which lost for the fourth time in six games. Sabres goalie Ryan Miller finished with 17 saves.

"We have to find a way to score," said Buffalo forward Jason Pominville, who had a game-high eight shots. "We're not going to win many games getting one goal."

AP - Dec 10, 9:44 pm EST

The Bruins' struggling offense scored three goals on their first five shots. Coming in, Boston had scored just 11 times in its last five games.

"Auld played a strong game, but I need to make some plays," Miller said. "You can't start a game with three quick goals. I have to do better."

Savard got things going with his sixth of the year 6:29 in when he picked off Sabres defenseman Toni Lydman's cross-ice pass and sent a wrist shot into the net.

Axelsson made it 2-0 with his fourth just 44 seconds later, beating Miller with a quick wrist shot from the slot.

Spacek scored his seventh goal, on the power play, to cut the deficit in half, but the Bruins regained their two-goal cushion on Schaefer's fifth 70 seconds later. Schaefer scored from the right circle after another Lydman turnover.

After a scoreless second period, Metropolit scored his seventh at 10:08 of the third, banking home a rebound after Miller stopped Milan Lucic's shot.

Miller was shaken up after the goal and was tended to by a Buffalo trainer for about three minutes on the ice, but he remained in the game. Afterward, he said he tweaked his ankle, which briefly went numb.

"We did the right things, so to not come out with a win still hurts," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.

Bruins second-leading scorer Marco Sturm was hit in the eye with the puck in the first period and didn't return. Julien said he shouldn't miss any time. ... The Bruins will conclude a stretch in which they'll have played 11 of 13 on the road Wednesday at Atlanta. They're 7-4-1 thus far. ... The Sabres began a stretch of four games in six days. ... Bruins D Dennis Wideman extended his points streak to seven games when he picked up an assist on Axelsson's goal. ... Five of Spacek's goals have been on the power play. ... Lucic had two assists.

Big First Half Carries Bills To Win
by Chris Brown, Lead Journalist Last Updated: 12/9/2007 4:25 PM ET

The Miami Dolphins had plenty of early Christmas gifts for the Buffalo Bills in the first half Sunday. All of them were footballs as Buffalo's defense got three takeaways and special teams got one in what was a rout after two quarters in a 38-17 final to keep Buffalo's playoff aspirations alive.

Buffalo's offense exploded for 31 points as Marshawn Lynch had 107 rushing yards in his return from injury. Trent Edwards became the first Bills quarterback to throw four touchdowns in a game in three seasons and the first rookie quarterback to toss three or more scoring passes in a half since Jim Plunkett did it 36 years ago (11/14/71). Edwards finished the game 11-23 for 165 yards and a passer rating of 111.4.

The Bills were the early beneficiary of a Dolphins miscue. Ted Ginn's muff on his first punt return of the game was recovered by John Wendling at the Miami 28-yard line. Three plays later Trent Edwards rolled out to his right off of play action to hit a wide open Robert Royal at the 12 and the tight end rumbled to the end zone almost untouched for an early 7-0 lead.

With Miami's offense going nowhere early Buffalo's offense would put another seven on the board. After a Fred Jackson 27-yard run set up a 1st-and-10 at the Dolphins 28, Edwards again found Royal on a post pattern for a 28-yard touchdown and a 14-0 edge.

On the ensuing Dolphins possession after a one-yard gain by Samkon Gado, rookie quarterback John Beck dropped back to pass and the ball slipped out of his hands as he tried to throw. George Wilson caught the fumble before it hit the ground and ran 20 yards to pay dirt for a 21-0 lead.

Beck was benched with Cleo Lemon inserted into the game for Miami, and he was throwing early unleashing a 54-yard bomb to Ted Ginn to the Bills 12. Gado capped the quick response with a 12-yard touchdown run to get the Dolphins on the board trailing 21-7.

Before the first quarter expired Buffalo put together a 35-yard drive on eight plays that was finished off by Rian Lindell. The Bills kicker put his 51-yard attempt through the uprights putting Buffalo up 17 (24-7) before the first quarter expired.

With the field goal Lindell set a team record for most consecutive attempts made as it was his 18th straight. Steve Christie previously held the mark with 17 in a row back in 1994. Lindell later missed a 41-yard attempt to bring his streak to an end.

The 24 Buffalo points were also the most scored by the team in the first quarter of a game since a 28-point outburst against the Atlanta Falcons back on Nov. 22, 1992.

Early in the second quarter Miami's offense was careless with the ball again as Cleo Lemon tried to get rid of a pass as Kyle Williams tackled him. As a result the pass was overthrown of intended receiver Ted Ginn and intercepted by Donte Whitner. Buffalo's strong safety returned the takeaway 29 yards to the Miami 11.

Edwards then found Lee Evans on a fade pass to left corner of the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown reception to push Buffalo's lead to 24 (31-7) midway through the second quarter.

Buffalo's offense wasn't quite as opportunistic in the second half, struggling to convert third downs. But Edwards put the exclamation point on the victory when he saw Lee Evans matched up one-on-one early in the fourth quarter on a 3rd-and-9 play. Evans beat the coverage down the left sideline and Edwards hit him in stride for a 70-yard touchdown reception.

The Bills improved to 7-6 and moved above the .500 mark for the first time this season. They travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns in what will be a pivotal game concerning Buffalo's playoff hopes

Buffalo 17, Washington 16

Preview - Box Score - Recap

By JOSEPH WHITE, AP Sports Writer
December 2, 2007

AP - Dec 2, 3:56 pm EST

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- After scoring the game's only touchdown, Clinton Portis lifted his jersey to reveal a white shirt with the words "In memory of Sean Taylor."

They played for Sean. They tried to win for Sean, just as Sean's father had told them to do. The grief of the Washington Redskins was on full display Sunday, in front of 85,000 fans waving their No. 21 towels, but their fragile emotions were shattered when Rian Lindell kicked a 36-yard field goal with 4 seconds left to give the Buffalo Bills a 17-16 victory.

"It makes your heart drop all the way to your feet," quarterback Jason Campbell said. "We wanted to come out here and win one for Sean, and try to keep ourselves in the playoff run."

Five days after Taylor died from a gunshot wound in Florida, the Redskins defense did Taylor proud by not allowing a touchdown. Buffalo's points came on five field goals and a safety. But a major gaffe played a part in leaving Washington's players disconsolate at the final whistle.

Lindell hit a 51-yard attempt that didn't count because the Redskins called timeout just as the ball was snapped. Coach Joe Gibbs then tried the same tactic again, but consecutive timeouts aren't allowed when attempting to freeze the kicker. The resulting 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gave the veteran Lindell a much easier kick. His game-winner extended his streak to 17 consecutive made field goals.

"There's nobody to blame but myself," Gibbs said. "I should have known the rule."

Buffalo started its final drive at its 22 with 56 seconds remaining and no timeouts. A 31-yard pass to Josh Reed set up the winning kick.

Taylor's father, Pedro Taylor, had urged the Redskins to win out and make the playoffs when he addressed the team Wednesday. But Washington (5-7) has now lost four straight and is fading quickly from the postseason picture. The Redskins will attend Taylor's funeral Monday, then must try to find a way to focus for a Thursday night game against Chicago.

Buffalo (6-6), with solid performances from rookie quarterback Trent Edwards and third-string running back Fred Jackson, broke a two-game skid to keep its AFC playoff hopes alive. But the Bills were unwelcome outsiders on a day that was part memorial service and part celebration, one that fittingly ended in a chilly autumn rain.

Teammates and coaches addressed Taylor directly during a pregame video tribute.

"You're the best I ever coached," said assistant coach Gregg Williams, who thought of Taylor as a son. "You will be missed."

Fans held posters that called Taylor the "eternal 12th man." Another read, "4-ever a Skin, 4-ever a Cane, 4-ever 21," a reference to Taylor's stellar college career at Miami before the Redskins drafted him in the first round in 2004.

AP - Dec 2, 3:48 pm EST

When the Redskins defense took the field for the first time, Taylor's safety position was vacant: Only 10 players defended Jackson's 22-yard run around the left end. Taylor's replacement, Reed Doughty, then ran onto the field, and he was the one who made the tackle on the next play, a short pass to Reed.

When Santana Moss, one of Taylor's closest friends on the team, caught his first pass, he pounded his chest and held up his index and middle fingers and his pinky. It was his way of spelling "21" for all to see, and he often repeated the gesture -- sometimes with both hands -- when he made a catch.

Cornerback Fred Smoot said he cried sometimes when he would look over to the safety position and see that Taylor was not there. Gibbs said the team was drained even before it came out of a locker room, where, just as at Redskins Park, Taylor's locker was sealed in Plexiglas.

"There was a lot of emotion for the whole week," Gibbs said.

From a football standpoint, the Redskins offense had the same problem as in recent weeks: an inability to finish drives. Gibbs was set to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the 5-yard line on Washington's first possession, but a false start by "numerous players," as referee Tony Corrente put it, sent the field goal unit onto the field.

Shaun Suisham kicked a 27-yarder. Later in the half, he converted from 28 and 33 yards, as the Redskins kept settling for 3 points instead of 7.

Buffalo's only points in the half came when Angelo Crowell sacked Jason Campbell in the end zone for a safety.

Lee Evans' juggling catch along the sideline set up a third-quarter field goal that cut the Redskins' lead to 9-5. Portis scored the touchdown later in the quarter, diving forward from 3 yards out before displaying the shirt that paid tribute to Taylor.

Turnovers by Campbell on back-to-back possessions put the Bills back in the game. Larry Tripplett forced a fumble that was recovered by Crowell, setting up Lindell's second field goal. Triplett then caught a pass tipped by Terrence McGee for an interception, leading to another field goal that made the score 16-11.

Jackson's 54-yard catch-and-run set up yet another kick from Lindell, a 33-yarder that cut the lead to 2 with 6:33 to play.

Edwards, regaining the starter's job from J.P. Losman, completed 22 of 36 passes for 257 yards. Edwards improved to 4-1 as a starter.

Jackson, making his first NFL start because of injuries to Marshawn Lynch and Anthony Thomas, ran for 82 yards on 16 carries and caught four passes for 69 yards.