1999 record: 11-5, second in the AFC East (wild card).

Last five years: 47-33.

Coach: Wade Phillips (21-13 in two years with Buffalo, 37-30 in four NFL seasons as a head coach).

Playoff past: The Bills are 12-13 in the postseason since the merger and, of course, are 0-4 in Super Bowls. But this is a franchise of remarkable consistency, having been in the playoffs 10 of the past 12 seasons. In the decade of the '90s, Buffalo won four AFC East championships and only twice in that period were the Bills a sub-.500 team. It's a club that is seemingly never out of postseason contention.

Outlook

They are adept at pushing all the right buttons in Buffalo, but rarely do they ever reach for the one marked "Panic," and that won't change this year. Having summarily jettisoned three future Hall of Fame members this spring -- defensive end Bruce Smith, tailback Thurman Thomas and wide receiver Andre Reed -- one might guess the Bills could be forced to take a few steps back before moving forward again.

But don't bet on it.

In the Buffalo locker room after the shocking playoff defeat at Tennessee last season, the loss coming on the controversial crossfield lateral by the Titans, the veterans were amazingly calm, typifing the way the businesslike Bills conduct themselves.

This remains one of the league's most stable franchises, a team that includes a superb personnel department and terrific instructional coaching staff, and because of that the Bills are never far from the playoff derby. Last year, when we saw the Bills in training camp, we felt they were among the deepest teams in the NFL. This year, that depth will be severely tested, but it will also be abetted by a typically understated Buffalo draft class.

In general manager John Butler, player personnel director Dwight Adams and pro personnel chief A.J. Smith, the Buffalo scouting department doesn't feature guys who always find the spotlight. That's OK, because they put their time to much better use finding players other staffs don't seem to unearth. And if they don't always locate spectacular players, it seems the Bills always draft spectacularly well.

Because of those drafts, but almost overnight and despite the departures and defections of seven starters from the 1999 roster, the Bills have been quietly remade. In a swift period -- actually over the past two seasons -- the Buffalo roster has become startlingly young. This year, youth will be served and will also be serviceable.

"I'm not big on predictions," said offensive tackle John Fina, one of the few remaining holdovers from the Bills' glory days, when the team went to four consecutive Super Bowl games. "When I look around, though, I see a team that is going to win. And it's going to win for several years, because there's a ton of young talent here."

Two-thirds of the 22 starters have come from the last three drafts or from trades made in that period. Buffalo doesn't sign veteran free agents, preferring instead to build from within, and to nurture its own. This year's team is reflective of that old-fashioned blueprint for constructing a roster, and that is especially true on defense, where all but one projected starter is home-grown. The only interloper, stout tackle Ted Washington, acknowledged last week the lack of movement in Buffalo is "one of the healthiest things" about the team.

Said the underrated Butler, who earned his stripes apprenticing under former general manager Bill Polian, now the Indianapolis Colts president: "It's become kind of passé for teams to build from within, but we believe that still works. We're not out chasing everyone else's free agents. We want to keep our own good people here. Yeah, it's cliché, but we like that family atmosphere. We try to build on that."

There are some who claim that the drumming out of Smith, Thomas and Reed this year was tantamount to an ugly divorce. But the Bills, facing salary cap woes, made the tough decisions at the right times. And it's notable that, so far in training camp, the players who have moved up into those three spots have played at a high level.

Schedule preview: The Bills get an early chance at revenge against Tennessee, playing host to the Titans in the season opener on Sept. 3, and you can bet Buffalo won't allow any long laterals on kickoff returns in this game. Three of the first four games, including matchups with Green Bay and Indianapolis, are at home, so the Bills have a chance for a fast start in friendly confines. The "bye" week comes on Sept. 24, after only three games. The Bills finish with two of their final three games on the road, both against 1999 playoff clubs.

1999 offensive ranking: No. 11 overall, No. 8 rushing, No. 19 passing.

1999 defensive ranking: No. 1 overall, No. 4 vs. the rush, No. 1 vs. the pass.

Key players lost from 1999: DE Bruce Smith (released), RB Thurman Thomas (released), WR Andre Reed (released), CB Thomas Smith (to Chicago), FS Kurt Schulz (to Detroit), FB Sam Gash (released), OG Dusty Zeigler (to New York Giants), WR Kevin Williams (released).

Key additions for 2000: None.

Rookies to watch: The Bills' typically productive draft could produce two starters and several other players who will be situational contributors. DE Erik Flowers, the first-round choice, is a pure upfield rusher who might start the season opener on the right side if veteran Marcellus Wiley isn't recovered from a training camp injury. Don't be surprised if second-rounder Travares Tillman wins the starting free safety job very early in the season. Undersized linebacker Corey Moore (No. 3) is likely to play a lot as an outside rusher on third down and latter picks Avion Black (kickoffs) and Drew Haddad (punts) may comprise the Bills' return game in 2000.

Offensive line: The Bills caught a break this spring when the free agent market went soft on four-time Pro Bowl guard Ruben Brown and they were able to retain their star leftside power blocker with a new seven-year contract. Almost as notable was the extension granted Brown's partner, left tackle John Fina. The pair works well together and provides stability. Still, the best player on the Buffalo offensive front might be third-year veteran right tackle Robert Hicks, a 340-pound monster who is just now discovering how good he can be. Hicks buries defenders at the point of attack and his feet are getting better in pass protection. If guard Joe Panos can bounce back from a neck injury that sidelined him all of 1999, the line should be very good.

Wide receivers/tight ends: In camp, fifth-year veteran Eric Moulds is demonstrating that he might be ready to position himself among the elite wide receivers in the game. But the player who must deliver even more than the sometimes enigmatic Moulds is second-year wideout Peerless Price. He needn't quite play up to that suggestive first name, but must be more consistent than he was in the first half of his '99 rookie campaign. Price has deceptive deep speed but his hands have to get better. Tight end Jay Riemersma doesn't run well but is suited to the Buffalo attack, a willing but now powerful in-line blocker and superb "red zone" receiver.

Running backs: The release of fullback Sam Gash, so good as a blocker that he made the Pro Bowl last year despite logging zero rushing attempts, signals that Bills offensive coordinator Joe Pendry will go with more two-tight end formations and primarily use a one-back set. The Bills have plenty of candidates in Antowain Smith, Jonathan Linton, Shawn Bryson and rookie Sammy Morris. What they lack is a consistent, feature-type runner, a guy whose performance isn't so up-and-down from one week to the next. Smith is the most talented of the bunch. But don't be too surprised if Bryson, who looked terrific in camp last year before sustained a season-ending knee injury, emerges as the go-to guy.

Quarterbacks: The severe groin injury suffered last week by Doug Flutie, one that will keep him on the sideline the entire preseason, ended whatever semblance of a quarterback controversy there was with this team. And, frankly, there probably wasn't much of a battle anyway. The coaches decided late last year that they needed to get more vertical in the passing game, replaced Flutie with the younger and stronger-armed Rob Johnson, and are casting their lot with him in 2000. Johnson is more mobile than people think he is, throws the deep ball with impressive touch and will better stretch defenses. Few people knew last year just how much Buffalo players had turned on Flutie, who refused to ever accept culpability for the offense's failures. Johnson is more their kind of guy, and they seem to have embraced him.

Defensive line: You might be surprised to know that the veteran who has led all defensive ends in tackles over the last five seasons wasn't the one who left Buffalo this spring, but the one who stayed. Phil Hansen might be the best unknown player in the NFL and he proves it annually. Even with Smith gone, he probably still won't get the credit he deserves, but it won't bother him a bit. The massive Ted Washington is coming off a down season, still is way too heavy, but can be an effective plugger just with his girth alone. But look for young defensive tackle Pat Williams, who was the third man in the rotation in '99, to make a big move. Williams is active, can compress the pocket inside and uses his hands well. Marcellus Wiley will replace Smith at right end, but rookie Erik Flowers is being counted on to pressure the quarterback.

Linebackers: There might not be a better young pair of inside linebackers than Sam Cowart and John Holecek, but they are a bit overrated. Cowart runs well and can drop into coverage, while Holecek gets by mainly on smarts. But the man to watch for is second-year veteran Keith Newman, a little-used player in '99 but a kid who impressed the team's veterans. Newman can be a force on the blitz and should be a nice complement to strongside 'backer Sam Rogers.

Secondary: Few fans thought much about it when veteran free safety Kurt Schulz departed for Detroit in free agency, but he may be the veteran defector who is toughest to replace. Schulz called all the defensive signals, made sure everyone was in the right place, showed better range than people credited him with having. The starter at the beginning of the year might be Manny Martin or Daryl Porter, but second-round pick Travares Tillman will be No. 1 on the depth chart by midseason at the latest. Second-year corner Antoine Winfield, who excelled as the "nickel" defender in '99, moves in to replace solid cover corner Thomas Smith. Strong safety Henry Jones has lost a step, no doubt, but still plays the run well enough.

Special teams: The long kickoff lateral the Titans used to flummox the Bills in the playoffs was the most notable special teams breakdown in '99, but not the only one. After years of excellence, the Bills slipped considerably and special teams coach Bruce DeHaven paid the price by being fired. Kicker Steve Christie and punter Chris Mohr, who have served as the Buffalo kick tandem for the last eight seasons, may be, pardon the pun, on their last legs. The release of return man Kevin Williams means a change in that area as well.