BillBoard

Stroud out for JAX

Bills coach Perry Fewell said today defensive tackle Marcus Stroud is out for Sunday's game at Jacksonville due to his sore knee. He said Stroud's injury remains a day-to-day recovery situation. Demetrius Bell, Keith Ellison and Ashton Youboty all are out.

Questionable are Kyle Williams, James Hardy, Terrence McGee and Jairus Byrd.

The suspicion here is Williams and Byrd will play.

Fewell was non-committal when asked if Roscoe Parrish will be active and will return punts. Parrish had been benched by fired coach Dick Jauron. We'll have to wait until game day to get that answer.

---Mark Gaughan

Mark Gaughan's Live Chat

Blow to Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins suffered a giant blow with the news that running back Ronnie Brown is out for the season with a foot injury. Besides being an outstanding running back, Brown, of course, is the key to the Dolphins' Wildcat formation.

Now both the Dolphins and the Jets have suffered season-ending injuries to their most key players (Chad Pennington also went down in Miami; colossal run-stuffer Kris Jenkins is out in New York).

It's too bad the Bills are not in a position to take advantage. This is a season in which if the Bills had their act together they could have gone 4-2 in division - or maybe even 5-1 if they had pulled out the season-opener in New England. The Bills have had their share of injuries, but none as major as those three.

Just like last season when they faced an easy schedule against the AFC West and NFC West, it's another season of opportunity lost.

---Mark Gaughan

QB Brohm picks Bills

The Bills have reached a two-year agreement with Green Bay Packers practice squad quarterback Brian Brohm.

Brohm, a product of Louisville, was a second-round draft choice of the Packers in 2008. The move gives the Bills a young quarterback prospect with credentials on the roster and further signals the end of Trent Edwards' future as a long-term quarterback option with the team.

To make room on their roster the Bills released quarterback Gibran Hamdan.

Brohm is the second player the Bills have taken off the Packers practice squad. The first was rookie tackle Jamon Meredith early in the season. The Journal-Sentinel reported that Brohm received the same two-year offer from the Packers to join their 53-man active roster but opted to join the Bills. The Packers have an established starter in Aaron Rodgers.

Brohm was the third quarterback taken in the 2008 draft. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco were picked in the first round. Brohm was taken 56th overall. Miami took Chad Henne with the next pick, at 57. He's 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds. He's a pocket passer who's not considered to have elite arm strength. His strengths coming out of college were considered to be accuracy and outstanding decision making. He got great experience in college. He played in 44 games and had 33 starts. He went 24-9 as a starter. He passed for 71 touchdowns and 24 interceptions.

Brohm will wear a No. 4 jersey.

---Mark Gaughan

 

Let's not get carried away

It is undoubtedly a departure for the Bills to consider talking to a big-hitting head coaching candidate such as Mike Shanahan. The Bills have never paid one of the top salaries in the league for a head coach in the "modern" era of coaching salaries -- in the last 20 years.

But fans excited by the prospect of Shanahan should not get ahead of themselves. It's a long way from happening.

Besides his high salary, Shanahan was known for spending a lot of money on personnel in Denver. He did not hesitate to bring in a lot of veteran players at high salaries as stop-gap measures when the Broncos had to fill a gap in the lineup or had injuries. He was given a relative blank check on such matters by Denver owner Pat Bowlen. Denver signed aging pass rusher Simeon Rice to a one-year, $3 million deal at the start of the 2007 season. He never panned out. That's one example of Shanahan not worrying about cost in running the personnel side. That definitely has not been the Bills’ mode of operation. I could see Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. departing from his ways in hiring an expensive coach. But I don't see the Bills totally disregarding a cash-to-cap-type approach (even though there may not be a salary cap next year).

The widespread assumption around the NFL since Shanahan was fired last January was that his next landing spot would be with a big-market organization that has very deep pockets.

I still think that's going to wind up being the case.

---Mark Gaughan

Bills coaching search

The Bills intend to do a comprehensive search for a new head coach and will consider all options – even mega-coaches such as Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher – according to team and league sources. (Read the full story on Buffalonews.com.)

They also already have told interim head coach Perry Fewell that the remainder of the season amounts to a seven-week interview for him, and he will be assured of getting a formal interview with the Bills after the season ends. It’s expected any other assistant coach on the current staff who wants an interview will get one, as well.

The speculation season on the future leadership of the Bills began in earnest Wednesday, a day after the Bills fired Dick Jauron after 3 1-2 seasons as coach.

The Bills are expected to cast a wide net in searching for new leadership to pull them out of their decade-long playoff slump.

According to a report on ESPN, the Bills made contact with Shanahan and intend to set up a meeting with the former Denver coach, who won two Super Bowls for the Broncos in the 1990s.

---Mark Gaughan

 

T.O., Lee praise Fitz

Bills receivers Terrell Owens and Lee Evans certainly sounded fully on board with the team's decision to go back to Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback.

Owens said he thought Fitzpatrick should have kept the job after the bye week.

Said Owens: "I think Ryan No. 1 is a veteran. He has a lot more experience. There are some situations where he’ll be able to buy time with that experience. There will be some times where he can assess the defense and really take some shots down the field. We’re looking forward to the opportunity with Ryan. Obviously he was 2-1 before the bye week when he was in there. Personally, I felt like it was his job to lose. But again, there are things that are out of our control. This coaching decision … and you just have to go with it. I think the guys are going out there and playing hard. What’s so disappointing is we are practicing hard and it’s not showing for four quarters on Sunday."

Evans was asked a leading question that went: Does it really matter who plays quarterback? Initially he said, "Not really." Then he suggested it did.

"I think some of the things that Fitz does are really good," Evans said. "When he played before, he stepped up and made some big plays. So I think it’ll help. We have a lot of confidence in him. I’m excited to see him play."

Interim head coach Perry Fewell gave the standard coach's rationale for making the switch, saying Fitzpatrick gives the Bills the best chance to win this week at Jacksonville.

---Mark Gaughan

Fitz at QB; walking wounded

Ryan Fitzpatrick was taking the first-team snaps at quarterback during the portion of practice the media watched as the Bills worked in Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Not in attendance were receivers Roscoe Parrish and Justin Jenkins, offensive tackles Jonathan Scott and Demetrius Bell, defensive tackle Marcus Stroud and linebacker Keith Ellison. Watching practice but not working in individual drills were safety Jairus Byrd, cornerback Terrence McGee and cornerback Ashton Youboty.

Safety Bryan Scott continued to work at linebacker ahead of rookies Nic Harris and Ashlee Palmer.

Given the tackle injuries, gurad Andy Levitre is likely to start at left tackle and perhaps Kirk Chambers at right tackle. Scott practiced at right tackle all last week but missed the game at Tennessee due to the death of his father.

---Mark Gaughan

History points to Ls

This is the fifth time the Bills have fired a coach in the middle of the season. None of the previous changes created much of a turnaround.

In 1986, Marv Levy went 2-5 after replacing Hank Bullough. Levy was the only mid-season replacement coach to win his first game, scoring a 16-12 win over Pittsburgh. The players that year were ecstatic to be rid of Bullough and clearly played harder for Levy the rest of the way. That was a rare midseason change, however, in that it was a case where the team made the permanent hire of the man it wanted. Then-GM Bill Polian had his mind set on bringing Levy on board all along.

The year before, Bullough took over for Kay Stephenson and went 2-10. In 1976, Jim Ringo took over for Lou Saban and went 0-9. In 1968, Harvey Johnson took over for Joe Collier and went 1-10-1.

---Mark Gaughan

Fine out, new TE signed

The Bills have placed tight end Derek Fine on the injured reserve list and signed three-year veteran Joe Klopfenstein to take his place.

Fine has some type of knee injury, although he has played in every game since Week Two and started each of the past five games. Klopfenstein is a 6-foot-5, 262-pounder who played the previous three years with St. Louis. He was a second-round pick of the Rams in 2006 out of Colorado. He caught 20 passes his first year, two his second and 11 in 2008. He was cut by the Rams after the first roster cutdown in preseason and has been a free-agent since.

Fine's injury is another small blow to the offense. While he only had nine catches, he is a decent blocker. Expect Shawn Nelson and Jonathan Stupar to be the top two tight ends now in the two-tight end formation, which the Bills use more than any other. Stupar will have to show he can fill the blocking role.

Buffalo also signed offensive lineman Christian Gaddis to the practice squad and placed WR C.J. Hawthorne on the practice squad injured list. Gaddis was cut by the Bills after training camp.

---Mark Gaughan

Perry Fewell speaks

Interim head coach Perry Fewell said his philosophy he wants to bring to the Buffalo Bills the final seven games of the season is simple:

"Play like hell and win," Fewell said this evening in addressing the media.

Fewell said he intends to call the defensive signals and remain in charge of the defense for this week's game at Jacksonville.

How does he think the team will respond?

“I think we’ll be focused. I think we’ll go out and practice with a purpose. Well all get on the same page, and our focus is Jacksonville. We’re professionals. That’s what we do."

Fewell would not say who would start at quarterback Sunday. He said he would reveal that on Wednesday.

Fewell said he does not plan to impose major strategic changes on the offensive side of the ball, where the Bills have struggled most this season.

"No. we are who we are," Fewell said. "We have that identity. We’re going to try to get a little spark, but we are who we are."

Fewell said the coaching change did not hinder game planning for the Jaguars.

"It hasn’t affected our preparation at all," he said. "We received the news later in the day. A lot of the stages of preparation were Monday as well as today. So we’ve just moved forward as a staff in preparing for the ballgame."

Fewell said his emotions have been "up and down." But he acknowledged becoming a head coach for the first time in his career is "an opportunity of a lifetime."

Asked about the chances of turning around the season, Fewell said: "We just need to go out and be successful. We need to have some success, get excited about what we’re doing and just win a football game, win one football game. Then I think that will take careof itself. That’s the best cure, win one football game, Jacksonville on Sunday."

---Mark Gaughan

Fewell in charge

The selection of defensive coordinator Perry Fewell as the new interim coach of the Bills is a logical one. Fewell has good leadership skills and a strong presence in front of the team. It makes sence from a logistical standpoint, as well. The Bills have a veteran staff on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive line coach Bob Sanders was defensive coordinator in Green Bay the previous three years. Defensive backs coach George Catavolos has 25 years experience coaching in the NFL. So Fewell can step back from the hour-by-hour process of making the defensive game plan and have experienced men taking the reins.

--Mark Gaughan

Jauron and Kay

Dick Jauron's first NFL coaching job was in Buffalo, in 1985, as a defensive backs coach for Kay Stephenson.

Ironically, his head coaching tenure ended much the same way Stephenson’s did. Like Stephenson, Jauron served as a figurative punching bag for the fans. He took on unrelenting criticism with a stiff upper lip, did it in the most bland way possible and refused to pass the buck or deflect any criticism at any time. Stephenson, a good man, suffered through weekly radio shows in which callers heaped abuse on him - with good reason due to the way the team was struggling.

Maybe living through that experience influenced Jauron. He never made any attempt to curry the fans' favor. He disdained radio and television shows. He never tried to sell himself to the fans in any way. Jauron would probably say that winning is the only thing that matters, and that is the bottom line. But Jauron certainly could have done a better job of creating a better public image, both for his own benefit and for the way the players perceived him. He was probably the most private head coach the Bills ever have had.

---Mark Gaughan

 

Report: Fitzpatrick to start Sunday

According to a blog post from nfl.com writer Jason La Canfora, the Bills are expected to start Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback on Sunday in Jacksonville. La Canfora cites a league source in his post.

Bills coach Dick Jauron certainly didn't rule out the possibility Monday when discussing the performance of Trent Edwards, but said he would delay any personnel announcements until Wednesday.

He also reports that left tackle Demetrius Bell's knee injury is not as severe as first expected, and may only keep him out a couple weeks. Contrary to the report, Bell has started eight of the team's nine games this year.

---Jay Skurski

Bills Replay Live Chat

Begin comments here.

D. Bell could be done for season

Bills coach Dick Jauron said Monday the team is "not optimistic" about the right knee injury suffered by left tackle Demetrius Bell in Sunday's 41-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

"He saw our doctors after the game and they'll see him again later on this evening ... and we'll know more then. We're not optimistic about that, though, at this point," Jauron said.

With Bell presumably out this week against Jacksonville and possibly the season, that leaves the team with just two healthy tackles, and that presumes Jonathan Scott returns to the team after missing Sunday's game due to the death of his father.

The Bills are expected to look outside the organization for help at the position.

"I believe we will bring in people and work them out," Jauron said. "Whoever is available, again, we'll bring them in and look at them. We've got a pretty good idea because of our situation through the year of who is available, but I know we'll go through the process again and be as thorough as we can be."

Rookie left guard Andy Levitre shifted over to tackle after Bell was hurt Sunday and will be a consideration to play there again, Jauron said.

---Jay Skurski

Poll: Bills' quarterback situation

poll by twiigs.com

Injury update

Here's a rundown of the injury reports:

BILLS
Out: CB Terrence McGee (knee), LB Keith Ellison (quad) and DT Kyle Williams (knee).

Questionable: Terrell Owens (hip), DE Aaron Schobel (groin), S Donte Whitner (ankle), OT Jamon Meredith (knee) and WR Roscoe Parrish (knee). Owens and Schobel are expected to play. Whitner, Meredith and Parrish are game-time decisions.

Probable: QB Trent Edwards (concussion), S Bryan Scott (ankle), OT Jonathan Scott (ankle), TE Shawn Nelson (head), FB Corey McIntyre (knee) and S Jairus Byrd (groin). Bryan Scott will start at linebacker on Sunday with Ellison out. Scott has worked almost exclusively at linebacker the past two weeks.

TITANS
Out: WR Justin Gage (back). Fractured bones will take time to heal.

Questionable: OT David Stewart (hamstring), CB Nick Harper (forearm), LB David Thornton (hip), DE Jevon Kearse (knee), OT Mike Otto (knee), RB Javon Ringer (back). Stewart looks like he'll return to the starting lineup after missing last week's game. Harper has missed the last four weeks and the Titans may give him another week to recover because Rod Hood is playing so well in his place. The same goes for Thornton, who was admirably replaced by rookie Gerald McRath last Sunday.

Probable: CB Cortland Finnegan (hamstring), RB LenDale White (illness) and DE William Hayes (groin). Finnegan may be the Titans' best defensive player, so having him play is huge. White has been overshadowed by Chris Johnson, but is still an important part of the offense. 

---Allen Wilson

T.O. update

The Bills have officially listed wide receiver Terrell Owens as questionable after he was limited in practice on Friday, but Owens said he intends to play against Tennessee on Sunday.

Owens said he was feeling much better after missing the last two practices with a sore hip. He's not sure how it happened, but indicated he fell asleep on his couch Monday night and woke up the next morning feeling stiff.

Two days of treatment worked because he showed no signs of injury during Friday's workout.

"With a lot of prayer and just rest and treatment, I knew I would be ready,'' Owens said after practice. "I've been in this situation. I know my body better than anybody or any doctor, for that matter. Earlier in the week, it was painful. I'm not sure what triggered it, but I did everything today.

"If you would have asked me [Thursday], it would have been iffy. But I'm very faithful and with prayer you can't be denied, so I really wasn't worried about it.''

The only hurdle Owens has to get over is any post-practice soreness that might occur. Barring any setbacks on Saturday, he'll be on the field in Tennessee.

---Allen Wilson

 

T.O. practicing

Just left the Bills' practice and Terrell Owens is participating for the first time this week. Apparently his sore hip is feeling better. He was running around and catching passes like he was never hurt.

He opened the team portion of practice with the first-team offense, but we don't know if he was fully involved or limited because the media is only allowed 10 minutes to view the workout. Hopefully we'll know more about Owens' status when head coach Dick Jauron addresses the media in the next hour or so.

---Allen Wilson

Mark Gaughan's Live Chat

T.O. "struggling" with hip injury

Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens did not practice again on Thursday because of a strained hip that flared up late Tuesday afternoon and continues to bother him.

Owens has never been one to sit out of practice unless he was given the day off by his team, but head coach Dick Jauron said Thursday that Owens was just too sore to participate.

"He's still struggling,'' Jauron said. "He didn't come out to watch practice. Bud [Carpenter, the Bills' head trainer] is working hard with him. They've got him doing different things. I believe that it's better, but it's not good enough to be on the field.''

Jauron said he hopes Owens' injury clears up before Sunday's game at Tennessee, but no one knows what T.O.'s status will be at this point. A player who has been around as long as Owens has doesn't really need a week of practice to play in a game, but it would give us a better idea of his progress if he participates on Friday.

Even if he does work out with the team, don't be surprised if the Bills decide to keep everyone in suspense and wait until game day to determine Owens' status. 

---Allen Wilson

Bills Poll: Who's your favorite NBA team?

Bills vs. Titans: You make the call

Hardy in, Omon out

The Bills activated receiver James Hardy to the 53-man roster, as expected, the team announced today.

Running back Xavier Omon was waived to make room for Hardy on the roster. Omon's departure leaves the Bills with three running backs - Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson and fullback Corey McIntyre. Omon appeared in the first three games and the fifth game as a reserve. He did not play in four of the last five.

---Mark Gaughan

Roscoe still on bench

Bills coach Dick Jauron said he's sticking with Fred Jackson on returns, but he still sees a role for Roscoe Parrish on the team.

That, we presume, means Parrish isn't the one who will be moved off the roster to make room for James Hardy.

Jackson has looked good on returns the past two weeks. Nevertheless, Parrish is the reigning punt-return champ in the NFL the previous two seasons. Is there still a place for Parrish on returns or on the team?

Said Jauron: "Well definitely on the team, there's no doubt about that. I think we'll just stay where we've been, where we'll go week to week making the decision on Roscoe, whether he's active or not. Obviously we're very happy with Fred and what he's done in the return game. Yeah, but there's definitely a place for Roscoe on our football team."

---Mark Gaughan

T.O. has sore hip

Bills coach Dick Jauron said receiver Terrell Owens sat out practice today with a sore hip.

Said Jauron: "He practiced on Monday and it wasn't bothering him. He said it didn't bother him at all. He came in after practice, he got his normal treatment that he gets. Then on Tuesday, late in the afternoon yesterday, all of a sudden it really started to bother him. So he came in immediately, got treatment for it, came back this morning and was in meetings but it was very uncomfortable for him. So right now it's pretty uncomfortable. We're kind of hoping it goes away as quickly as it came. That's our hope. We really won't know any more until we see how he feels tomorrow."

---Mark Gaughan

Trent and the 2 Scotts

It appears there will be three new starters in the lineup this week when the Bills visit Tennessee.

Trent Edwards definitely will start at quarterback, returning from his three-week hiatus after suffering the concussion in New York. Jonathan Scott definitely will start at right tackle. He missed the past three games due to a high ankle sprain. And it appears likely Bryan Scott will start at linebacker with Paul Posluszny and Chris Draft. Keith Ellison sat out practice with a strained quadriceps muscle and it doesn't seem like hopes are high he will be ready to go.

Bryan Scott's mobility and veteran experience would give the Bills more flexibility in passing situations, since he would stay out on the field with Posluszny. (Usually Ellison stays on the field.) The question will be the Bills' stoutness on run downs against Titans super runner Chris Johnson, who is close to a 2,000-yard rushing pace.

---Mark Gaughan

T.O. has an injury (updated)

Receiver Terrell Owens was not at practice this morning because of an injury, a team official confirmed today.

There is nothing more significant to his absence. Owens practiced with the team on Monday.

The Bills need to release one player by 4 p.m. today in order to place receiver James Hardy on the 53-man roster. All the other players were on the field this morning except for linebacker Keith Ellison, who has a sore thigh.

Terrence McGee (knee), Kyle Williams (knee) and Aaron Schobel (groin) were watching practice but not working. Donte Whitner (ankle) was limited. Jamon Meredith (knee) appeared to be limited as well. Jairus Byrd, who had a sore abdomen, appeared to be working fully.

Meanwhile, safety Bryan Scott was working at linebacker with the first-team unit.

---Mark Gaughan

Poll: Michael Vick and the Bills

poll by twiigs.com