ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -Lee Evans still can’t get over how the Bills sputtering offense contributed to the team’s collapse on national TV.
Evans also has an opinion that might surprise some Bills’ followers.
The fourth-year wide receiver wants J.P. Losman back as the starting quarterback once he’s ready to return after missing the past two games with a sprained left knee.
“I don’t think it’s a controversy in my opinion,” Evans said, hours after Buffalo squandered an eight-point lead in the final 20 seconds of a 25-24 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
“Take it with a grain of salt, but when J.P. is healthy, it’s still his position to lose. I think J.P. has played well given the circumstances,” Evans said. “If they make that change, they make that change. But in my opinion, it’s J.P.’s job.”
The Bills (1-4) have plenty to deal with entering their bye.
One issue is quarterback now that Losman is expected to resume practicing this week, and should be cleared to play when Buffalo hosts Baltimore on Oct. 21.
Some people wonder whether the Bills should stick with rookie Trent Edwards, who has helped the offense perform better while starting the past two games.
With Edwards the Bills produced a season-best 304-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 17-14 win over the New York Jets two weeks ago. He was less effective against the Cowboys, Monday night, but still helped Buffalo control the clock by producing four drives of 35 yards or longer.
In two starts, Edwards has helped the offense produce two touchdowns, 411 yards passing and 33 first downs.
By comparison, Losman had 251 yards passing, one touchdown drive and 23 first downs in his first two games before he was hurt in a 38-7 loss to New England in Week 3.
Coach Dick Jauron has left the quarterback question open, saying every job is up for grabs and the best player will start once Losman’s healthy.
Jauron, on Tuesday, was more concerned about how the team moves past the bitter memories of losing its second game this season on a last-second field goal. The Bills lost to Dallas on Nick Folk’s 53-yarder as time ran out, a similar ending to a 15-14 loss to Denver in the season opener.
“We’re trying to get past it, but it’s hard,” Jauron said. “It’s hard to go on, but we don’t have a lot of time. We have an 11-game season and that’s a long season.”
Evans isn’t over it, reiterating he’s still embarrassed with an offense that managed three points despite four drives inside the Dallas 40.
“It was embarrassing,” Evans said. “People keep talking about it being a great game. It was a great game if you win. If you lose, it’s embarrassing. And I don’t know any other word to sum it up.”
The lack of production squandered a gutty effort by Buffalo’s young and injury-depleted defense. It’s a unit that returned two interceptions for scores, and forced six turnovers: five interceptions and a fumble, all committed by Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Buffalo added another score on Terrence McGee’s 103-yard kickoff return.
Yet, the Bills lost by giving up Patrick Crayton’s 4-yard touchdown catch with 20 seconds left, and then failed to recover the ensuing onside kick, which set up Folk’s field goal three plays later.
The loss has opened the Bills to being second-guessed for their play-calling.
Buffalo was knocked for lining Edwards up at shotgun, when facing third-and-8 at the Cowboys 11 midway through the fourth quarter and Buffalo ahead 24-16. Edwards threw an interception, which negated what could’ve been a decisive scoring drive.
The Bills were also faulted for not running more time off the clock on their final possession. Rather than running the ball on third-and-7 at the Bills 41, Edwards threw an incompletion which stopped the clock with 3:53 remaining.
Jauron defended the decisions.
“We didn’t go in there thinking, `He’s going to throw an interception,”’ Jauron said. “I really believe if the call succeeds it’s a good one. And if it doesn’t, it’s a bad one. … You don’t know what’s going to happen. The outcome was disappointing.”
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