Buffalo Bills fire Dick Jauron as head coach

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will be the Buffalo Bills’ interim head coach, replacing the fired Dick Jauron.

Fewell was given the job on Tuesday, hours after Bills owner Ralph Wilson fired Jauron after the team’s 3-6 start. Wilson credited Fewell for “demonstrating excellent leadership skills,” while noting the players have plenty of “confidence in him.”

In his 12th NFL season, and fourth with Buffalo, Fewell becomes the team’s first black coach.

The shakeup came two days after a 41-17 loss at Tennessee, dropping Buffalo further out of contention and in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for a 10th straight year.

Wilson said he made the decision “for the best interest of his team.”

The Bills are averaging just over 15 points from an offense that acquired Terrell Owens this offseason but remains unsettled at quarterback. The defense is riddled with injuries, and has allowed an NFL-worst 173 yards rushing a game.

Jauron leaves with a 24-33 record over three-plus seasons, and went 5-14 in his past 19.

“I really don’t have anything to say,” was all Jauron would say when reached on his cell phone by The Associated Press.

Buffalo, which has not made the playoffs since 1999, has now gone through four coaches since the end of the 2000 season, when Wade Phillips was dismissed. Gregg Williams was not rehired after his three-year contract expired, while Mike Mularkey abruptly resigned after a front-office shakeup following the 2005 season.

Jauron was hired by former general manager Marv Levy, who took over the post following Tom Donahoe’s dismissal. Jauron has been on the hot seat ever since last season, after he led the Bills to their third consecutive 7-9 finish.

Expressing a need for continuity, Wilson elected to retain Jauron. The Hall of Fame owner, however, noted that he was aware of Bills fans’ dissatisfaction with the team, and warned that he wasn’t going to be “complacent” in seeking improvements, particularly on offense.

Those improvements haven’t come even after the team made a big splash in free agency by signing Owens to a one-year $6.5 million contract in March, days after the receiver was released by Dallas.

Owens hasn’t provided a spark to an offense that has been undone by a young and inexperienced offensive line and poor play at quarterback, whether it’s starter Trent Edwards or backup Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Jauron had previously accepted the blame for misjudging the impact a young line would have on the offense, and for staying with a no-huddle attack, which was scrapped six games into the season. The Bills opened the year with two rookie starting guards — first-round draft pick Eric Wood and second-rounder Andy Levitre — and second-year left tackle Demetrius Bell, who didn’t play a down as a rookie last season.

The Bills haven’t generated 300 yards offense in eight of nine games this season, including their past seven.