There are NFL clubs with good special teams units, and then there are the Buffalo Bills.

According to the Dallas Morning News' comprehensive ratings, which include several key statistical categories, the Bills have owned the best special teams in the league over the last two years.

The Bills showed Sunday in Miami that they have no intention to relinquish that title.

Pro Bowl punter Brian Moorman had five kicks downed inside the 20-yard line, forcing the Dolphins to start drives at the 1, 6, 7, 10 and 16-yard lines. Coy Wire blocked a punt the Bills recovered in the red zone, leading to a field goal. Roscoe Parrish returned a punt 26 yards to set up another short scoring drive.

Those plays helped the Bills dominate the field-position battle and were integral to their 16-6 victory.

"To me, it's exciting because it's only the second game and we see such a stellar performance from the special teams unit," said Wire, named the NFL's Special Teams Player of the Week. "That just shows the quality and character of guys that are on those units. It would be easy to rest on our laurels, being best in the NFL the past two years. But that just shows that we have guys who have a lot of heart and won't be satisfied until we're the best every time we step on the field."

The Bills' special teams' ascension to the top of the NFL coincided with the arrival of coach Bobby April in 2004. He brought a greater commitment to that aspect of the game, something that hadn't existed since General Manager Marv Levy was the Bills' head coach.

A special teams guru for 15 NFL seasons, April drills his players on everything from proper blocking techniques to staying in their lanes when covering kicks to being fundamentally sound tacklers.

"I've been fortunate to have a bunch of talented football players to work with," April said. "That helps a lot. We've got talented guys who very work hard at it because it means something to them."

The Bills spend extra practice time on special teams, watch additional film of themselves and opponents, and focus on the slightest of details. April also finds creative ways to stoke the players' competitive fires.

"His preparation for the game, he goes out of his way, above and beyond his job description," Wire said. "He brings in inspirational movie clips, quotes and things that he hopes will inspire us and help us aspire to be the best."

April's methods have paid off.

Consider:

• The Bills tied an NFL record with five touchdowns on kickoff and punt returns in 2004. Three of them were on kickoff returns by Terrence McGee, who set a club record while earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

• Last season, Moorman led the NFL in gross and net punting average en route to claiming a Pro Bowl spot along with long snapper Mike Schneck. Place-kicker Rian Lindell made 29 field goals (second in the AFC) and established a club record for career conversion percentage (81.32).

• McGee was first in the league with a 31-yard kickoff return average in 2005, the best in Bills history, and had a 99-yard touchdown. Roscoe Parrish's 13.3-yard punt return average would have led the NFL if he had enough returns to qualify.

Through two games this season, McGee is sixth in kickoff returns (26.4 yards) and Parrish ranks seventh in punt returns (12.0). Moorman's gross 40.8-yard average is only 29th in the league, but he leads the NFL with six punts inside the 20 and is tied for ninth in the more important net average (38.9). Only two of his 11 punts have been returned. Lindell has made all four of his field-goal attempts this season and has made nine straight going back to last year.

"We have established a level of excellence on special teams that we take a lot of pride in," said McGee, whose 27.7-yard kickoff return average is second in Bills history behind O.J. Simpson (30 yards per return). "It all starts with coach April. He's the key to our success."

Levy obviously thought so. One of the NFL's first special teams coaches, Levy interviewed April for the Bills' head coaching job before selecting Dick Jauron.

Like Levy, Jauron values good special teams play. Jauron also respects April's work, which is why he gave April the additional title of assistant head coach.

"Having Marv Levy and Dick Jauron, two men who believe in special teams, is huge because you know they are going to provide you with the personnel that is necessary to be successful," April said.

The Bills' special teams could get a stiff challenge from the Jets, who also have a pretty impressive unit. Justin Miller is one of the best kickoff return specialists in the NFL, averaging 25.4 yards per attempt. His 95-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter was the decisive score in the Jets' 30-26 win over the Bills in the 2005 finale.

That return prevented the Bills from taking first in kickoff coverage.

"We haven't forgotten about that play," linebacker Mario Haggan said. "It has kind of served as a source of motivation for us. When you're the top dog, everybody wants to knock you off that pedestal. But we're still the best on special teams, and we are determined to keep it that way."

Bills special teams /NFL rank in parenthesis

Year KO Ret. Punt Ret. Net punting Gross punting KOR coverage PR coverage
2004 24.5 (2) 10.7 (6) 36.5 (13) 43.1 (T-6) 18.3 (2) 8.5 (16)
2005 26.6 (1) 10.0 (5) 39.1 (1) 45.7 (T-1) 20.4 (4) 6.8 (T-7)