Williams enjoys successful return to Buffalo

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Associated Press (AP)
• Published: Sep 28, 2009

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New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the Buffalo Bills’ head coach from 2001 to 2003, returned to Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday for the first time since being fired at the end of the 2003 season.

Williams, who had a 17-31 overall record in three seasons there, turned the tables on his old employers Sunday in devising a game plan that held the Bills to 243 total yards — with four sacks and an interception for good measure in the Saints’ 27-7 victory.

Williams’ defense essentially pitched a shutout as the only Bills’ points came from a pass off a fake field-goal attempt in the second quarter. The Saints stopped the Bills from scoring on 11 of 12 possessions — forcing nine punts, an interception and turning the ball over on downs once.

Despite the way things turned out in his time there, Williams earlier this week still had fond memories of his time with the franchise.

“That organization is a real good organization. There are a lot of good people there,” he said. “I still talk to those people — texting, e-mailing and talking throughout the summer. A lot of them still participate in my foundation. It was a good three years of my life.”

Passing Hebert

Quarterback Drew Brees didn’t have a typical Drew Brees day, but he did enough to continue his rapid climb up the club’s all-time passing charts.

Brees connected on 16 of 29 passes for 172 yards on Sunday, a far cry from the back-to-back 300-yard passing days he had in the first two games.

But with his third completion on the opening drive of the game, a 20-yard pitch to wide receiver Devery Henderson, Brees moved past Bobby Hebert and into third place in career passing with 14,643 yards to Hebert’s 14,630.

At the end of the day, Brees had 14,751 yards in 51 games with the Saints, which trails just Archie Manning (21,734) and Aaron Brooks (19,156).

Streak ends

Brees, however, did not throw a touchdown even though the Saints reached the end zone three times. Each of the touchdowns came on rushing plays as they ran over the Bills’ defense for 222 yards.

That ended an 11-game streak with at least one scoring pass for Brees, who had thrown for nine touchdowns in the first two games this season. In that 11-game streak, he had 31 TD passes.