ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP)—T.O. and Chad Ochocinco(notes) can go on calling themselves Batman and Robin in Cincinnati.
Bills cornerback Drayton Florence(notes) answers with a comic-book nickname for Buffalo’s defensive secondary—“Mr. Freeze,” a nemesis of the dynamic duo.
It’s a message Florence delivered as the Bills nfl jerseys prepared to host the Bengals in a preseason game Saturday night, when Terrell Owens(notes) will return to Buffalo with his new team for the first time.
Florence meant no disrespect to the Owens, whom he got to know during T.O.’s only season with the Bills last year. But Florence and his Buffalo teammates are serious about blanketing the NFL’s most colorful and potentially most potent receiving tandem.
“We don’t want to go out there and just see how we match up. We want to dominate,” safety Donte Whitner(notes) said. “We’re not trying to play around. We want to go out there and try to solidify ourselves as one of the top secondaries in the league.”
Of all the troubles the Bills endured last season—poor quarterback play, an inability to stop the run and a midseason coaching change—the defensive secondary wasn’t one of the problems that led to a 6-10 finish.
The defense finished second in the NFL with 28 interceptions, nine by rookie safety Jairus Byrd(notes).
Despite making the switch to a 3-4 scheme under new coach Chan Gailey, the Bills secondary remains confident because it returns all four starters and its key backups.
Gailey himself has consistently pointed to the secondary as being the team’s most complete unit, and is looking forward to watching it perform Saturday.
“We had pretty good challenges in the first two weeks, and I thought they responded,” said Gailey, citing McGee’s 78-yard interception return for a touchdown against Peyton Manning(notes) in a 34-21 win at Toronto last week. “It will be fun to watch and see how our guys respond to this challenge.”
The Bills had an opportunity to re-sign Owens this offseason, but chose to rebuild through the draft.
Owens remained unsigned until last month, when the Bengals signed the 36-year-old free agent to a one-year deal last month.
After spending most of Atlanta Falcons jersey last season in Buffalo overlooked in what proved to be a dysfunctional offense, Owens is off to a solid start in Cincinnati. He’s leading the team this preseason in both receptions (nine) and yards (108), proving he can complement Ochocinco, something he couldn’t do for Lee Evans(notes) in Buffalo.
The Bills are the third and final opponent in T.O.’s preseason reunion tour after the Bengals already faced Dallas and Philadelphia.
“When I left, I definitely mentioned I would have been willing and open to come back and that didn’t happen,” Owens said this week. “I think everybody knows what I brought to the table. Again, my ability speaks for itself. It wasn’t the fans that decided not to re-sign me. I think it was more so the head coach.”
Owens mentioned several Bills players and personnel he befriended. But notable exception was quarterback Trent Edwards(notes), who never established much chemistry with Owens. Edwards failed to complete a pass to Owens in a 27-7 loss to New Orleans in September, ending the receiver’s 185-game reception streak.
Owens had a better rapport with backup Ryan Fitzpatrick(notes).
“What he brought to the table, more so than Trent, was experience,” Owens said. “I think he recognized that and he realized my talents out there.”
Edwards enters this weekend with an opportunity to secure the starting job ahead of Fitzpatrick and third-stringer Brian Brohm(notes).
Bills cornerback Terrence McGee(notes) says facing Owens in practice helped him become a better defender.
Just don’t ask McGee how much fun it’ll be to see T.O. back in Buffalo.
“Fun?” McGee said. “Before the Baltimore Ravens jersey game it’s going to be fun to say ‘Hello.’ But during the game it’s business. I would not smile after a deep route gets caught on me. So it will not be fun and games.”
AP Sports Writer Joe Kay in Cincinnati contributed to this report.
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