Ex-Jag becomes foe

Perry Fewell is going to have a homecoming of sorts Sunday in Jacksonville when he makes his head coaching debut. Fewell, a former Jaguars assistant coach under Tom Coughlin who has never been a head coach on any level, was suddenly vaulted into the position Tuesday when Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson fired Dick Jauron and offered Fewell the job on an interim basis. Fewell, 47, who was hired as the Bills' defensive coordinator at the start of the season, didn't expect Jauron to be fired during the season, but a 44-17 loss to Tennessee last Sunday prompted a change. The loss dropped the Bills to 3-6. "We're professional people," Fewell said of Jauron's firing. "That's the nature of our business. You take it very hard initially, but there's a job to be done and a game to be played, and you have to kind of set your emotions aside and get to the business at hand. "Obviously, I was definitely surprised when it happened, just as everyone was surprised, and the timing of it was a surprise." As for being named interim coach, he said, "When it [the firing of Jauron] happens, you're in shock, and then the owner calls you and asks you to direct the team and lead the Football team, and you take it as a compliment. You move forward from there. It's something I always wanted to do, but I didn't envision doing it like this." Fewell said all his focus now is the game Sunday in Jacksonville, where he had some good times in his five-year stint as a defensive assistant under Tom Coughlin from 1998 to 2002. Fewell was swept out when Coughlin and his staff were fired. Fewell then spent two years in St. Louis and a year in Chicago before going to Buffalo. "Great memories,'' Fewell said of his time in Jacksonville. "I remember playing [coaching] in the '98 playoffs and '99 played in the AFC championship, had some really good Football teams with Mark Brunell, Keenan McCardell and Fred Taylor and Tony Boselli. Loved living in the area. We were a good Football team for awhile. "I got my start there, so very positive memories." He said the highlight was making the 1999 AFC championship game, which the Jaguars lost 33-14 to Tennessee. "I didn't like the outcome, a new franchise, a young franchise ... we lost to Tennessee three times [that season], but we were a good Football team. That was a lot of fun," he said. The record of NFL interim coaches is mixed at best. Last year, there were three midseason changes: Tom Cable in Oakland, Mike Singletary in San Francisco and Jim Haslett in St. Louis, who went a combined 11-22. Only Singletary (5-4) posting a winning record. Singletary and Cable kept their jobs. Haslett was fired. According to ESPN.com, there have been 62 in-season changes since the 1970 merger, and those coaches have a combined record of 137-270-1. A total of 25 replacement coaches retained their positions the following year. Of the challenge he faces, Fewell said, "Every Football game in the NFL is a challenge, whether you're 8-0, 9-0 or 3-6. Every game in the NFL is a challenge. That's the great thing about our game. That's the great thing about our sport. It's tough to win. It's the nature of our game." Fewell said when Wilson offered him the job, they didn't discuss the future, but Fewell obviously needs to win to have a chance to keep the job. Fewell didn't say he'd make any major changes, but he named Ryan Fitzpatrick the starting quarterback. Fitzpatrick has started two games this season and last year led the Cincinnati Bengals to a 21-19 victory over the Jaguars with two touchdown passes. The Jaguars aren't sure how Fewell's promotion will affect the Bills, but are wary it could give Buffalo a boost. "Teams are going to go in two ways in that situation, and so we're expecting them to come out fired up wanting to make a statement," running back Maurice Jones-Drew said. Added quarterback David Garrard: "Actually, I think it will make them a little hungrier. They've got things that they're trying to prove, and everybody knows that their job is kind of on the line, so I see them coming out and giving us a tough battle like it should be." vito.stellino@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4279 Bills AT Jaguars When: 1 p.m. Sunday -- Where: Jacksonville Municipal Stadium -- Radio: WOKV (690 AM, 106.5 FM)