Bledsoe has the Bills in the money, and other notes.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

PHILADELPHIA _ It seemed like a good idea last April.

The New England Patriots had cast their quarterback lot with Tom Brady, who had helped them win a Super Bowl earlier in the year, and were looking to unload the man he replaced, Drew Bledsoe.

As luck would have it, there was a team that not only coveted Bledsoe, but was willing to give up a first-round 2003 draft pick to get him.

There was just one snag. The interested buyer was the Buffalo Bills, who live in the same AFC East neighborhood as the Patriots. And you know what momma always said about trading within the division.

But the organizational consensus was that Bledsoe's best days were behind him, the Bills were coming off a 3-13 season, and the Patriots weren't particularly worried about the deal coming back to bite them in the butt.

But eight weeks into the season, it's looking as if it might. Bledsoe is putting up All-Pro numbers and has led the Bills to a impressive 5-3 start, while the Patriots have lost four of their first seven and find themselves in a virtual must-win situation Sunday when they travel to Buffalo to face - you got it - the red-hot Bledsoe and the Bills.

"It's no secret Drew's done a good job," said the man who pulled the trigger on the trade, Patriots coach Bill ...