Sporting News, The: A wild Bill worth gambling on

J.P. Losman is not Drew Bledsoe.

Which is precisely why he will begin the season Sunday against the Texans as the Bills' starting quarterback.

Eight months ago, the Bills had just finished the 2004 season by winning eight of 10 games. Buffalo was a team many thought was poised to advance to the next level in 2005.

Then the Bills decided to release Bledsoe and promote Losman, who had thrown all of five passes a year ago. They chose a player who will make more mistakes and--the Bills hope--more plays.

Look, many people--including me--thought the Bills reached a little to take Losman with the 22nd pick of the 2004 draft. Losman had been an inconsistent player at Tulane after transferring from UCLA. He had shown intriguing skills, but something was missing. Still, after Buffalo made that pick, it did the right thing by committing to Losman.

What the Bills did with Losman is gamble on potential. They reached for the Lombardi Trophy instead of a wild-card spot, which is probably the most they could have hoped for with Bledsoe at quarterback.

"We felt we knew we could get to a certain level the way things were, and it was not satisfactory," Bills coach Mike Mularkey says. "We want to go further than that level. Whether we can with J.P. or not, we're not sure, but we were sure about the other one. We feel like we can."

J.P. Losman is not Brett Favre.

Although at times this preseason, Losman was reminiscent of a young Favre. Before you and Bill Belichick break out in a cold sweat, this is not necessarily a good thing.

Throughout the preseason, Losman has been a wild bronco of a player, not quite ready to take the bit. He has shown a tendency to take off too quickly when pressured. He hasn't figured out when to throw the ball away--that led to a 20-yard loss on a sack against the Bears. He has responded to mistakes with outward displays of disappointment, sending out bad vibes to teammates. His accuracy has been streaky, and he hasn't consistently put touch on his passes.

He may play like he thinks he's Tarzan, but there is a lot to like about Losman. He has a big-league arm. All of his frenetic scrambling has shown he has a special ability to avoid pressure, keep a play alive and create magic that Bledsoe couldn't imagine even with the help of hallucinogens.

Losman, it seems fair to say, either is going to be an outstanding NFL player or an abject bust. There will be no in between with this kid.

J.P. Losman is not Kordell Stewart.

But there are parallels between the abilities of Stewart and Losman. Stewart had his best season when Mularkey was his coordinator, in 2001.

Look for Mularkey to do for Losman some of the things that enabled Stewart to have success that year. The Bills will use mostly short drops. They won't throw downfield much. They'll simplify Losman's reads. They'll pare down the number of pass plays in each game plan to a manageable number, probably less than 50. And they won't discourage Losman from using his feet.

"One of J.P.'s options is to run," Mularkey says. Running isn't one of Losman's progressions on a typical play, but if the Red Sea opens, Losman is being coached to accept the invitation. Bills coaches also are incorporating designed runs into their game plans but will be cautious about using them until Losman demonstrates the judgment to know when to slide or step out of bounds.

J.P. Losman is not Ben Roethlisberger.

Well, maybe he is in the Bills' wildest dreams.

During the offseason, Mularkey and Losman got together and watched eight of Roethlisberger's games on tape. The comparisons between what Losman does and what Roethlisberger did last season are particularly relevant because the Bills and Steelers run very similar offenses. Mularkey, who was the Steelers' coordinator before taking over in Buffalo last season, told Losman, "You're a first-year starter. This is how they came after him, how they tried to defend Ben. I want you to look through his eyes at what's coming."

If Losman does the things the Bills hope he can do, it will mean their coaches have supplemented and protected him as well as the Steelers did Roethlisberger.

"Their offensive staff did an excellent job of putting him in position to feel confident about his ability," Mularkey says. "As he got it, they progressed to the next baby step, something new, to see if he could handle it. It's a smart plan. It's what we're going to do."

The plans may be carbon copies, but the players are not. Roethlisberger won 15 of 16 starts mostly by riding the wave of his teammates. For better or worse, Losman is much more likely to be the wave.

speed reads

Acquiring Corey Simon could p Colts over the top. He is the type of player they needed most--a big, quick defensive tackle who offers some pass-rush ability. If the Colts put more heat on quarterbacks, their young secondary will look a lot better.

Falcons running back Warrick Dunn suggests each NFL player contribute $5,000 to the hurricane relief effort. Ravens cornerback Deion Sanders suggests every professional athlete donate $1,000. Way to be leaders, fellas,

If Drew Henson of the Cowboys isn't showing signs of getting it by now, you have to wonder whether the third baseman turned quarterback ever will. A quarterback has to have instincts to succeed in the NFL, and if he doesn't have them that usually is evident pretty quickly. So far, the only thing proven about Henson is his physical ability.

The Browns might not end up with the first pick in the April draft, but they'll be close enough to know what it smells like.

INSIDE DISH

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Saints coach Jim Haslett will have his work cut out for him. Early last offseason, Saints management reportedly offered Haslett a two-year contract extension. The deal never was agreed upon, and Haslett has only two years left on his contract. If the Saints struggle this season, which seems likely given the relocation problems facing both the team and the individuals associated with the team, Haslett could be vulnerable. The best-case scenario for Haslett and the Saints is to play their home games at LSU in Baton Rouge, La., as opposed to San Antonio. But even playing at LSU wouldn't offer the Saints anywhere near the same home-field advantage they held at the Superdome. * The Bills have a plan in place to keep RB Willis McGahee on the field and feeling fresh. McGahee, who missed the 2003 season after having major knee surgery, probably won't play on third down. On long drives, the Bills will keep track of how many times McGahee touches the ball. If he exceeds a designated number of touches--the number will vary between six and eight depending on the stage of the game--McGahee will get a breather. Coaches also are encouraging him to take off a series whenever he feels he needs it. Losing Matt Birk (hip), one of the NFL's finest centers, will affect the Vikings on multiple fronts. The team clearly will miss Birk's leadership. And scouts say his replacement, Cory Withrow, won't be able to get the same push in the running game. That means the Vikings might have to run more outside. Those who have studied Withrow also say he might struggle holding up the pocket against powerful tackles. Withrow weighs 22 pounds less than Birk. Recently acquired Melvin Fowler eventually could beat out Withrow. * The Falcons believe their running game will really click in the second year of using the Broncos' scheme. In the preseason, linemen blew open huge holes for Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett. As a result, look for the Falcons to be a run-heavy team in the first half of the season. The hope is that QB Michael Vick will become more comfortable working with young WRs Michael Jenkins and Roddy White as the season goes on and that the Falcons then can rely more on the pass. * The Panthers' Mike Minter wanted to increase his speed in the offseason, in part because the plan was for him to switch from strong to free safety. The last time he ran a 40-yard dash, two years ago, he was clocked at a disappointing 4.6. As part of his offseason conditioning, Minter, 31. took up Pilates. He subsequently lost body fat and gained muscle. The 32-inch-waist pants that fit him last season are falling down around his waist, and Minter has his 40 time down to 4.47.

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The Titans are expecting a big year out of DT Albert Haynesworth, who appears to be maturing in his fourth season. Haynesworth, 24, came out of college early, and it has taken some time for him to understand what it means to be a professional. This year, he worked out with the team for the entire offseason for the first time. He is in the best shape of his career and appears to be more determined. The bad news for the Titans: if Haynesworth doesn't play well, their line will be in trouble.