Focal Point: Flutie vs. Miami corners


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Breaking down the Bills and Dolphins


AFC: Four on the floor


Inside the Dolphins playbook


No. 13 ready to change his luck


Cowart to stand up to childhood hero



  Wednesday, Dec. 30 9:31pm ET
Who you calling short? Dolphins return Flutie's barbs
Associated Press

DAVIE, Fla. -- The Dolphins-Bills rivalry intensified Wednesday when Miami cornerback Sam Madison accused Buffalo quarterback Doug Flutie of being short.

 Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie has stood tall for the Bills this season.

Madison was responding to comments by Flutie, who said Miami's cornerbacks often get away with holding.

"When he's 5-foot-5 and can't see over the line unless he scrambles, that does make me mad for him to say something like that," Madison said. "That really touched a nerve with me."

The dispute will be settled Saturday when Flutie and the Bills face the Dolphins in a first-round playoff game.

"They have to get him out of the pocket because he's too short to see over the defensive line," Madison said. "We're going to be ready for that and get him on the ground and shove some Flutie Flakes down his throat."

The comments by Flutie that angered Madison were posted on the bulletin board in the Dolphins' locker room.

"It will be important for the officials to pull their flags if (the Dolphins cornerbacks) start tugging and pulling as usual," Flutie said Monday. "They get away with that a lot. ... If they throw their flags, it's big for us. You can't cover Eric Moulds one-on-one. You can't cover Andre Reed one-on-one."

On Wednesday, Flutie said his comments were merely a reflection of his confidence in his receivers. He said he had no regrets about providing the Dolphins with bulletin-board material.

"What are they going to do, play harder?" he said. "If that makes someone play harder, why didn't they play that way last week or the week before?"

Miami coach Jimmy Johnson said Flutie's comments were just an attempt to influence the officials. Dolphins cornerback Terrell Buckley was amused by Madison's reaction.

"He looks at it as an insult, but being a veteran, I'm going to wait until I get out there Saturday," Buckley said. "You don't want to spend your energy getting mad now, or you might be tired by the time the game begins."

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