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Fabricated controversy Phillips mum on starter for Sunday's Patriots game
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- It's not a normal week for the Buffalo Bills without someone drumming up a quarterback controversy. While Rob Johnson has yet to throw a pass since separating his shoulder three weeks ago, and Doug Flutie is 1-1 as his replacement, Bills coach Wade Phillips waded into the fray on Monday, accusing the media of fueling the fire. "The quarterback controversy -- and this is just my opinion -- is media generated in that for me there's no controversy because we got good quarterbacks that we can win with," Phillips said. "The controversy comes when I can't find a quarterback to win with, and I have to go from one to the other and back, and then say, 'Well, the third-team guy can come up and play for those two guys.'" Adding that he and the team believe in both quarterbacks, Phillips said: "It's nice to talk about it and all that, but I just don't think there's any real basis" for the controversy. The trouble is, questions persist because of two things:
Johnson refused to talk to reporters on Monday, while Flutie, who maintains he is only filling in for Johnson, was unavailable for comment. Phillips wouldn't say what chance Johnson would have to start this Sunday when the Bills travel to New England. "I wouldn't say unlikely," Phillips said. "Once he can get the velocity on the ball, then he's fine. But that isn't the case right now."
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