Q. Is your running ability something the team has been intentionally trying to work into the offense, or do you just wait until things break down to take off?

A. I basically wait until things break down. I go back, take my read and try to deliver the ball. If a route's not there, if people get knocked down or they're covered or protection fails, then it's time to move and try to make something happen on your own. A lot of times, if it's first or second down, you can just take the ball and get rid of it or throw it away or maybe just see if you can run for a few yards. But usually, on third or especially ... we've had a lot of fourth-down situations this year ... you can't give up on those plays. Those are the type of plays where you've really got to try to keep it alive, and if it's not there by design, try to make something happen.

Q. How different does this year feel. There's not as much hype surrounding you. You never were a novelty, but there was some novelty to your story, and now that's gone. Has that made it easier for you on a week-to-week basis?

A. Yeah, I enjoy that. I really do. I enjoy the fact that it gives you a feeling (that) you've been accepted as a legitimate NFL quarterback, and it's no longer the novelty, as you put it. I can focus on the games and just play. I still do my share of stuff around here and things are going on, and I guess I could make myself busy with all of that if I really wanted to, but it's been a lot easier to focus on preparing each week and getting ready to play football.

Q. So it did get a little bit tiresome last year?

A. Trust me, that got tiresome 10 years ago. Every time I went from one city to another, even in the CFL, going from one city to another, it was a big deal. It's nice to take root in a city and stay there for a while and let it become second nature that you're there.

Q. The Bills have been a tough team to peg from one week to the next. At times you guys look absolutely dominant and then the next week kind of vulnerable at times. If you agree, what do you think might account for that?

A. I think injuries play into it quite a bit. And I think some weeks you have a ... you match up well with certain teams. I was talking with Bill Parcells about this, actually, and & I told him, hey, we really match up well against Miami. We play Miami, we feel very confident stepping on that field that we can control the ball and we can do certain things. And he said to me & he feels that same way when he plays New England, that he feels his guys match up well, and they feel very confident about playing New England. There's certain teams that because of your strengths or your weaknesses, whatever it is, you feel very confident about.

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