by By Mark Gaughan - NEWS SPORTS REPORTER , Buffalo News

A: We'll probably never know the answer for sure, because Jauron never will say. But I say Jauron wanted to keep Walker as a backup.

Jauron and Walker are represented by the same agency, Yee & Dubin, of Los Angeles. (Don Yee also is Tom Brady's agent.) I just don't think Jauron would have put Walker out of work if it were strictly up to him.

Did Jauron put up a big fight over it? I doubt it. I think once the coaches decided Walker was bombing in preseason and Demetrius Bell should be the left tackle, Russ Brandon, Jim Overdorf and Jeff Littmann decided, "We're not spending $3 million on a backup tackle."

Even if I'm right and Jauron would have kept Walker, it doesn't take Jauron off the hook in any way. Jauron (and the entire Football department) made the disastrous decision in March that Walker could handle the left tackle spot, and he was wrong. So he's responsible for the tackle disaster.

In fact, Jauron's insistence on running the no-huddle helped torpedo Walker. Walker, given his weight, never has been in good enough physical condition to play at his best in an up-tempo, no-huddle offense. Fatigue prompted him to play worse than his normal level (which still wasn't good enough to excel at left tackle).

So there's another way in which the no-huddle idea was inherently flawed. Furthermore, Jauron could have demanded the Bills draft a tackle with the 11th overall pick, and he would have gotten his way, in my opinion.

***

>Q: The futility of the Bills' offense after turnovers could lead to a new stat kept by the league: punts off turnovers. It would be counted every time the drive immediately after a turnover results in a three-and-out. What do you think?

-- Phil Krause, Dallas

A: Good creativity. Actually, if it weren't for defensive takeaways we'd be talking about the Bills getting the No. 1 overall draft pick. The Bills have six of their 12 touchdowns off turnovers, and two of those were on return scores, by Aaron Schobel and Donte Whitner. Discounting those two, the offense has taken the field 14 times after takeaways by the defense. It has turned those chances into four touchdowns and three field goals.

***

>Q: Why is there no talk about Jeff Garcia anywhere in the press? No one's asking the coaches (at least publicly) about that option. Your thoughts?

-- Daniel Guliano, Londonderry, N.H.

A: He's 39. He's a West Coast offense quarterback, and the Bills aren't a true West Coast offense. The Bills' pass protection problems are bigger than the quarterback. The scheme problems are bigger than the quarterback.

Yes, Garcia might be able to execute some third-and-makeable pass plays better than Trent Edwards. But what's the point? The Bills need to see how Edwards executes them the second half of the season. Then there's the issue of Garcia's ugly parting of the ways with Terrell Owens in San Francisco. It's not the answer.

Bills beat reporter Mark Gaughan answers your Football questions every Friday, online and in the paper. Send your e-mails to mgaughan@buffnews.com, or join his live chat at 11 a.m. on the BillBoard blog.

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