Lynn auditions for Bills' head coaching job against Jets (Jan 01, 2017)
At Anthony Lynn's first news conference as interim head coach of the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday, he fielded nearly four dozen questions.
Not one was about the New York Jets, the Bills' opponent in Sunday's season finale at MetLife Stadium.
Lynn will make his head coaching debut against his former employer. He coached the Jets' running backs for six seasons (2009-14), assisting Rex Ryan, the coach Lynn is now replacing for the final game of their two seasons working together in Buffalo.
Sunday's game could also function as a tryout for Lynn, who has interviewed for head coaching jobs in the past and is expected to be a candidate for openings around the NFL this season, including the one in Buffalo.
"Right now, my focus is right in front of me," Lynn said in his opening remarks. "Getting these guys ready to play the New York Jets and doing the best we can to win this game."
The Bills (7-8) have won more than the Jets (4-11) since the teams met in Week 2. Former Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had his best game of the season, throwing for 374 yards and a touchdown in the Jets' 37-31 victory in prime time at New Era Field.
The next day, Buffalo fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman and promoted Lynn.
The Bills have averaged 27 points per game and regained their status as the NFL's top rushing team since Lynn took control of the offense. But poor defensive play and missed field goal attempts prevented the Bills from ending their 17-year playoff drought, the longest in North American sports. Those factors also contributed to Ryan's exit.
Jets coach Todd Bowles is not in danger of losing his job, according to numerous reports, despite the team's struggles this year after going 10-6 in Bowles' first season.
Bowles was hospitalized last week because of issues with "kidney stones, gall stones, gallbladder," he said. Bowles missed the team flight to New England but was on the sideline for the Jets' 41-3 loss.
Fitzpatrick will start for the Jets on Sunday after Bryce Petty was placed on injured reserve with a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder.
Christian Hackenberg, the Jets' second-round pick, will back up Fitzpatrick, but the Jets aren't making it a priority to get the former Penn State quarterback game action in the finale.
"We're not going to gain or lose nothing by looking at Christian, or not, in this game," Bowles said.
The Bills won't be starting their rookie quarterback, Cardale Jones, either. The fifth-round pick from Ohio State is expected to be active for the first time this season, backing up former first-round pick E.J. Manuel.
It could be Manuel's final game with the Bills. Manuel is 6-10 as a starter in his four seasons with the Bills and has been benched in favor of Kyle Orton, Tyrod Taylor, Matt Cassell and Josh Johnson at various points in his career.
"It's a great opportunity to go out there and win," Manuel said. "I think there's no better way to end this season, even if it's not what we wanted to finish, but to finish 8-8."
The Bills are benching Taylor, who is healthy and coming off the best game of his career in last week's 34-31 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins. This could be a sign that Taylor has played his final game with the Bills, who don't want to risk him suffering a serious injury that would guarantee him $27.5 million for next season.
"That was a business decision," Lynn said. "We want to look at the depth of our quarterback position and we're out of the playoffs, so we want to see what these other two guys can do."
Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy (illness), wide receiver Sammy Watkins (foot), left tackle Cordy Glenn (back), defensive tackle Kyle Williams (back), cornerback Stephon Gilmore (concussion), tight end Charles Clay (knee) and linebacker Lorenzo Alexander (rest) did not practice for Buffalo on Wednesday.
Wide receiver Brandon Marshall (hip/shoulder), running backs Matt Forte (knee), Bilal Powell (knee) and Brandon Burks (illness), defensive backs Nick Marshall (hamstring) and Juston Burris (knee), and tight end Ausstin Seferian-Jenkins (hamstring) sat out practice for the Jets.
