AFC East

Sporting News, The, Dec 13, 1999

Good old days return for Jets linebacker Jones

Jets inside linebacker Marvin Jones believes he is playing his best ball since college. To refresh his memory, he dusted off old tapes of his days at Florida State, where he attained almost mythical status as the nation's top linebacker in 1992.

"People say how good I was in college, so I said, `Let me look back and see,'" says Jones, the Butkus Award winner that year.

How good were you?

"Man, I was hell," Jones replies with a smile.

That should tell you something about the way he's playing now. Jones, the No. 4 overall pick in the 1993 draft, is playing better than anyone on the Jets' defense. "I feel younger, and I'm a lot more energized," Jones says. "I feel like I did in college. I'm the same guy, except for a little mustache and beard."

Jones, who missed last season because of major knee surgery, started slowly. But in the last seven games, he has recorded 47 tackles, one sack, one interception (the first of his career), one forced fumble and one recovery. He appears faster, more decisive and more comfortable than earlier in the season, especially when the Jets shift into a 4-3 scheme. With an extra lineman to take on a guard, Jones has more freedom. "He gets a chance to pursue a little more with a four-man line," coach Bill Parcells says. "That's one of his strengths in the running game."

Jones, 27, always had the ability, but he couldn't stay healthy. He missed 34 games--more than two full seasons--in his first six years. Now he has a more mature attitude, especially with regard to offseason conditioning, and it seems to be paying off.

Jones says he never feared that he would not fulfill his enormous potential. "I wouldn't say that," he says, "but a lot of things happened to me, psychological things. It was frustrating not being able to go out there and dominate a game."

Like the old days. --Rich Cimini

Buffalo

8-4: T 2nd

Reed is no longer go-to guy, but he shouldn't be pulled

Andre Reed's recent carping about his diminished role is nothing new. Whenever Reed doesn't rack up big numbers, he whines about not getting the ball and contends he is not getting the proper respect. The truth is Reed remains a competent player, but he certainly isn't the go-to guy anymore. Reed doesn't get open as regularly as he once did, and his run-after-catch skills--which used to be superb--have slipped noticeably. Reed does have a good point, though, when complaining about being pulled from games and replaced by rookie Peerless Price, a common occurrence recently. Price doesn't seem ready to be a steady contributor, and with the team in a furious chase for a playoff berth, it should rely more on Reed. Now is not the time to be experimenting. Reed can still make plays, so let him.... RT Robert Hicks suffered an ankle sprain in Week 12 and will be out three or four weeks, a blow to the second-year player who has made good progress since the midway point of the season. With Hicks out, Marcus Spriggs will take over. Spriggs hasn't played much in his three years, so this will be a position of concern. The Bills were fortunate to have a week off to get him ready.... After a sluggish start, LDE Phil Hansen has come on. Not only is he providing his usual solid effort against the run, his pass-rush game has picked up with three sacks in the last three games. He also is sliding inside in the dime and providing a good push.

SCOUTING REPORT: Once the feature back in the no-huddle offense, Thurman Thomas is now a third-down back primarily used as a receiver and occasional change-of-pace runner. It's a role he excelled at in '98 and one that he will refamiliarize himself with this week as he returns after missing 11 games with a braised liver. Thomas always has been a good pass receiver (No. 2 on the team's career list). He knows how to find a weak spot in coverage and still has the nimbleness to make people miss. He also is adept at pass blocking. He is sure to provide a spark in the final month.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: The Bills are not advocates of the all-out blitz and claim that they don't need to be. In passing situations, they always rush four players, and occasionally will send an extra linebacker. They always have at least six men in coverage. Wade Phillips believes his front four generates enough pressure. However, the lack of blitzing is one reason this defense doesn't create many turnovers. Quarterbacks often have time to dump the ball off or throw it away. --Sal Maiorana

GRADING OUT Season to date

OFFENSE B

Inconsistent at times on ground but have moved the ball when necessary.

DEFENSE B

Run defense has been stout, but lack of takeaways is disappointing.

SPECIAL TEAMS B

Christie and Mohr are reliable, and coverage teams have been sound.

COACHING B

Team is almost always ready to play, but defense needs more creativity.

BILLS

PASSING          Att.   Comp.   Pct.    Yds.    Long
Flutie            379     206   54.4    2536     54t
Johnson             2       1   50.0      11      11

PASSING            TD    Int.   Rate   Sacks
Flutie             16      13   75.0      19
Johnson             0       0   66.7       1

RUSHING          Att.    Yds.   Avg.      TD
A. Smith          156     564    3.6       5
Linton            138     497    3.6       1
Flutie             68     374    5.5       1

RECEIVING         No.    Yds.   Avg.      TD
Moulds             44     703   16.0       6
Reed               41     431   10.5       1
Linton             27     212    7.9       1

SCORING           XPM     XPA    FGM     FGA    Pts.
Christie           22      22     20      27     82

PUNTING           No.    Yds.   Avg.    Blk.
Mohr               58    2261   39.0       0

KO RETURNS        No.    Yds.   Avg.      TD
K. Williams        34     716   21.1       0

PUNT RETURNS      No.    Yds.   Avg.      TD
K. Williams        26     279   10.7       0