Quick Kicks

Shuffling off to Niagara Falls

The Buffalo Bills took a step closer to the playoffs, but they couldn’t go home to celebrate it.

A winter storm dropped more than 2 feet of snow on Buffalo Sunday, shutting down the airport. So after beating the St. Louis Rams 45-27 the Bills headed for Niagara Falls, N.Y., instead of home.

“I don’t want to stay here,” running back Thurman Thomas said before the team left St. Louis. “We did what we needed to do there, let’s go home.”

Other Buffalo sports were affected by the blizzard. The Buffalo Sabres’ hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning was postponed for today.

The weekend storm was biggest blizzard the city has had since 1977, and more snow was likely today. The most snow to fall on the city in a 24-hour period was 25 inches in January 1982.

What a catch

Detroit receivers Herman Moore and Brett Perriman are 95 receiving yards away from breaking the NFL combined receiving record of 2,921 yards set by the Houston Oilers combo of Charlie Hennigan (1,746) and Bill Groman (1,175) in 1962. Perriman (6-128) and Moore (7-105) had double 100-yard games against the Oilers. Perriman has 97 catches this season. The Moore-Perriman duo also is near a first. If Perriman reaches 100 catches, he and Moore (108 catches) would be the first NFL teammates to each get 100 receptions in a season.

Among the wounded

Jacksonville receiver Desmond Howard got a concussion from a late hit in a game against Indianapolis… . Colts running back Marshall Faulk left the game in the fourth quarter with a contusion to his left knee… . Cincinnati defensive lineman Dan Wilkinson injured his neck against Chicago and was taken to the hospital, but he had full use of his arms and legs… . . In the Dallas-Philadelphia game, the Cowboys lost defensive tackle Russell Maryland in the third quarter with a sprained right foot.

Quotable

“Today wasn’t the best game we’ve played,” said Detroit coach Wayne Fontes, which is a little like saying “Bachelor Party” wasn’t Tom Hanks’ best movie. - Detroit columnist Mitch Albom.

“At one time we were 6-2. Now, it’s pathetic. It really is.” - Chicago receiver Curtis Conway after the Bears lost 16-10 to Cincinnati and fell to 7-7.

Monday night matchup

Kansas City at Miami

Shula-bashing has become a more popular activity in South Florida than going to the beach, so pardon Marty Schottenheimer for failing to follow the fad.

Schottenheimer’s Kansas City Chiefs visit Miami tonight with much at stake for Dolphins coach Don Shula. Which will it be: career victory No. 346 or more ammunition for Shula’s critics?

Either way, Schottenheimer disagrees with those who say the game has passed Shula by.

“I don’t think that makes any sense,” Schottenheimer said. “Don has always been able to adapt to various circumstances. But hey, anything any of us as coaches have done in the past is of no consequence. Bill Parcells has won two world championships and now they’re talking about replacing him (at New England).”

The Chiefs can clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs by beating Miami.

, DataTimes