Bledsoe: I can still get job done

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003 | 10:13 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

Buffalo Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe is resigned to following up one of his most prolific seasons with one of his worst.

What remains unchanged is Bledsoe's confidence.

"If I get to the point where I don't believe I can get it done, I'll come in here and tell you that and I'll walk away," Bledsoe said Wednesday. "I know I can make the throws and make the plays when they're there."

He just hasn't done it in his second season with the Bills.

A year after establishing 10 franchise records and finishing second in the NFL with 4,359 yards passing, Bledsoe's numbers have declined significantly. It's a major reason why the Bills (6-8), who play host to Miami on Sunday, are out of playoff contention. It's a disappointing follow-up to last season's 8-8 finish.

Bledsoe's 2,663 yards passing through 14 games are almost 1,300 yards less than he had at the same time last year. He's throw 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

With two games remaining, there's a chance that Bledsoe could finish under 3,000 yards passing for the first time in a season in which he's started at least 14 games. And, except for 2001 when he appeared in only two games, he's never finished a season with fewer than 13 touchdowns.

"It's been a disappointing season," Bledsoe said. "From the standpoint of playing the way we needed to play to be effective, preventing some of the negative plays that put us in bad situations, I don't know that I've been as effective doing that as I should have been."

The only appearance veteran Neil O'Donnell made was having his name placed on his old locker. That may be as close as O'Donnell gets to the Titans, who are being squeezed by salary cap constraints.

Coach Jeff Fisher said there's a chance the Titans (10-4) could have just two quarterbacks Sunday when they visit the Houston Texans (5-9) if they can't get a deal done quickly with O'Donnell.