By SAL MAIORANA
Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Drew Bledsoe would rather have a punched ticket to the NFL playoffs already in hand, but as alternatives go, an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii's not bad.

One year after wondering where his pro football career was headed, Bledsoe was one of three Buffalo Bills selected to the Pro Bowl in voting by players, coaches and fans.

Bledsoe will be joined in Hawaii by wide receiver Eric Moulds and offensive guard Ruben Brown, and he conceded Thursday that his inclusion on the AFC squad represents quite a change in fortunes for him.

"Last year I'm standing on the sidelines watching somebody else play," he said of his final season in New England when he suffered a serious injury in Week 2 and spent the rest of the year watching his understudy, Tom Brady, lead the Patriots to a Super Bowl victory.

"This whole year, the move has been a great thing for me personally, but this honor in itself is a reflection of the team I'm playing with."

In acquiring Bledsoe from the Patriots in a trade for their first-round draft position in 2003, the Bills were hoping the former All-Pro would breathe life into an offense that already had viable talent in place.

Bledsoe has delivered.

With two games remaining he has already set franchise single-season records for passing yards (3,949), attempts (543), completions (334) and 300-yard games (7).

His yardage total ranks second in the NFL and his 23 TD passes are tied for fifth-best.

But Bledsoe was quick to point out that his success relates directly to the talent around him.

"Anytime you have a quarterback who goes to the Pro Bowl, it's a reflection of the team he's playing for," he said. "You look at what's happened to me. I'm standing up here with two other offensive Pro Bowlers, and we have Peerless (Price), Travis (Henry) and Larry Centers as alternates.

"You put all those guys together, I just have to go out there and do my job and the numbers are going to be pretty good. That's how it works when a quarterback goes to the Pro Bowl, you have to be on a good team."

This is Bledsoe's fourth Pro Bowl selection. He made the AFC team following the 1994, '96 and '97 seasons with New England. He is also the third Buffalo quarterback to play in the game. Jim Kelly (five times) and Doug Flutie (1) are the others.

Brown joined Andre Reed and Bruce Smith as the only players in team history to earn seven straight nominations, and his seven trips are tied for second-most in team history with Reed and Steve Tasker, trailing only Smith's 11 invitations.

"I hope it never gets old," he said. "I'm enjoying it and it's always a tremendous honor coming from my peers and the coaches and the fans. It never gets old. I love Hawaii."

Brown was Buffalo's first-round draft pick in 1995, and starting with the 1996 season, he has gone to Hawaii every year.

"It's kind of strange, who would have ever thought I'd be in this situation," he said. "It's hard to grasp it right now. It's been a tough year for me, I've battled through some things, and to have the people out there watching me play and say that I'm still in that elite group is truly a special thing."

Moulds was particularly proud of his selection given the wealth of talent at the receiver position in the AFC. Moulds joins Marvin Harrison of the Colts, Hines Ward of the Steelers and Jerry Rice of the Raiders, a crop that no one can deny is pretty special.

However, Moulds felt bad that his teammate, Price, whose numbers are almost identical to his, earned only alternate status.

"I have mixed emotions because you play with Peerless every day and he works hard enough to be one of the four guys going," said Moulds. "You have no control over that, but maybe someone won't go and he'll get to play."

Moulds has caught 86 passes for 1,167 yards and 9 touchdowns. Price has 84 catches for 1,156 yards and 9 TDs.

In the end, Moulds is a little more familiar to the voters as this is his seventh year in the league and his third trip to the Pro Bowl.

While Bledsoe is thrilled to be joining fellow quarterbacks Rich Gannon of the Raiders and Peyton Manning of the Colts - no, Brady did not get selected - the ultimate goal is to make the playoffs, and Buffalo's chances are not very good.

"I'd like to have a few more wins because that would certainly sweeten this," he said. "That's what it's all about, you want to be playing for the championship at the end, but it's a great honor and I'm proud to be a part of this team."

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