Flutie Can Even Clear the Runway

Buffalo Bill quarterback Doug Flutie added another dimension to his game Sunday night.

Flutie helped the Bills defeat the New York Jets, 17-3, with his arms, his legs, and even his 179-pound body, which he sacrificed with a crushing block that sprang Antowain Smith on a 12-yard run that set up the game’s first touchdown.

“Doug’s a player. He makes plays,” Buffalo Coach Wade Phillips said. “He made them throughout the game, even blocking. We don’t expect him to do that.”

Flutie, who passed for 160 yards and ran for 67, didn’t have to do it all against the Jets (0-2)--a team that didn’t have six starters, including quarterback Vinny Testaverde.

Smith, held to seven yards in six carries by Indianapolis last Sunday, gained 113 in 30 attempts. Overall, the Bills (1-1) had 224 yards rushing against a defense missing nose tackle Jason Ferguson.

As for the Bills’ defense, nose tackle Ted Washington and linebacker Sam Cowart stuffed Jerald Sowell on fourth and inches at the goal line when the game was scoreless in the second quarter.

Buffalo then went on a 99-yard drive in which Flutie got first downs with runs of 14 and 24 yards. The key play, though, was on third and one from the Jet 13. Smith ran right, then broke left, pursued by Mo Lewis, the Jets’ 257-pound Pro Bowl linebacker. As Lewis lunged for Smith, Flutie leveled him.

“I was looking for a defensive back,” Flutie said. “But then I saw Mo behind me so I headed for him. I didn’t think he saw me, so I was going to hit him high. But then I chickened out and just cut him.”

Smith got to the one-yard line and scored a touchdown on the next play.