ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco can go on calling themselves Batman and Robin in Cincinnati.
Bills cornerback Drayton Florence answers with a comic-book nickname for Buffalo's defensive secondary -- "Mr. Freeze," a nemesis of the dynamic duo.
Florence meant no disrespect to the receiver, whom he got to know during Owens' only season with the Bills last year. But Florence and his Buffalo teammates are serious about blanketing the NFL's most-colorful and potentially most-potent receiving tandems.
"We don't want to go out there and just see how we match up. We want to dominate," safety Donte Whitner said. "We're not trying to play around. We want to go out there and try to solidify ourselves as one of the top secondaries in the league."
Of all the troubles the Bills endured last season -- poor quarterback play, an inability to stop the run and a midseason coaching change -- the defensive secondary wasn't part of the problem that led to a 6-10 finish. Buffalo ranked second in the NFL with 28 interceptions, nine of them coming from rookie safety Jairus Byrd.
Despite making the switch to a 3-4 scheme under new coach Chan Gailey, the Bills' secondary remains confident because it returns all four starters and its key backups.
Gailey himself has consistently pointed to the secondary as being the team's most complete unit. He's looking forward to its performance Saturday.
"We had pretty good challenges in the first two weeks, and I thought they responded," said Gailey, noting McGee returning Peyton Manning's interception 78 yards for a touchdown during a 34-21 Bills victory in Toronto last week. "It will be fun to watch and see how our guys respond to this challenge."
After spending most of last season in Buffalo overlooked in what proved to be a dysfunctional offense, Owens is off to a solid start in Cincinnati. He's leading the team this preseason in both receptions (nine) and yards (108), proving he can complement Ochocinco in a way he was unable to do for Buffalo's Lee Evans.
The Bills are the third and final opponent in T.O.'s preseason reunion tour after the Bengals already faced the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.
"When I left, I definitely mentioned I would have been willing and open to come back, and that didn't happen," Owens said this week. "I think everybody knows what I brought to the table. Again, my ability speaks for itself. It wasn't the fans that decided not to re-sign me. I think it was more so the head coach."
Owens mentioned several Bills players and personnel he befriended. But one player notably left out was quarterback Trent Edwards, who never established any real chemistry with Owens. Edwards failed to complete a pass to Owens during a 27-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints in September, ending the receiver's 185-game reception streak.
Owens did have a better rapport with backup Ryan Fitzpatrick.
"What he brought to the table, more so than Trent, was experience," Owens said. "I think he recognized that and he realized my talents out there."
Edwards enters this weekend with an opportunity to secure the Bills' starting quarterback job ahead of Fitzpatrick and third-stringer Brian Brohm.
Bills cornerback Terrence McGee credited Owens for helping him become a better player after facing the receiver in practice. Just don't ask McGee how much fun it'll be to see T.O. back in Buffalo.
"Fun?" McGee said. "Before the game, it's going to be fun to say 'Hello.' But during the game, it's business. I would not smile after a deep route gets caught on me. So it will not be fun and games."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
