Mularkey hopes to build on momentum

[1niksder]

Mularkey hopes to build on momentum

'I think everything we went through last year is going to make us a better team'

By ALLEN WILSON
News Sports Reporter

After losing their first four games, Mike Mularkey's Bills won nine of their last 12.

Last year at this time, Mike Mularkey was still settling in as the new coach of the Buffalo Bills. The process of putting together his staff and implementing a new offensive system was well under way.
But that was the easy part. Mularkey quickly found out there is more to being a head coach than hiring assistants and mapping out game plans. As a position coach and offensive coordinator, he only had to concern himself with a certain area of a team. As a head coach, he has to be in tune with every aspect of the organization.

"No matter how well prepared you think you are when you go into the (job) interview and you lay out everything and say "This is the plan and everything is going to fall in place,' it's never that way," Mularkey said last week at the NFL owners meetings in Hawaii.

"There's always more. There are always things coming from different directions. There are so many things that happen every day, whether it's one department or the other. You've got to get used to that.

"But I've learned a lot. I think it's been a little smoother this year with a staff in place and you've got a system in place. You have a better idea of how you want to do things. There are even some tweaks and some things we're going to do in training camp that will be easier to put together than it was last year doing it for the first time."

Mularkey's first season has to be viewed as a success. After losing the first four games and six of the first nine, the Bills won six consecutive games and barely missed the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

Mularkey hopes the momentum of last season's strong finish will carry into the 2005 campaign.

"I think everything we went through last year is going to make us a better team," he said. "We overcame adversity. We went through a lot of things. (Starting 0-4) that would have been the perfect time for a team to tear apart because of all the hard work they put into it and not have success. But with our guys, there was never a time where I said, "We're losing them.'

"They hung in there. They stayed the course. They almost pulled off an unbelievable feat to be where they were at 3-6 and have a chance to be in the playoffs. It's definitely something we can build on."

Mularkey's plan for Year Two will begin with getting more out of his offense, which ranked 25th in the NFL last season. The Bills certainly have the skill players to be a potent unit.

Running back Willis McGahee, who ran for 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns, should be even better another year removed from his knee injury. Wide receiver Lee Evans is coming off a great rookie season and his speed is a great complement to Eric Moulds.

But every offense needs a quarterback to lead the way. The Bills are using this offseason to get second-year pro J.P. Losman ready to assume that role.

Mularkey defends the decision to cut Drew Bledsoe in favor of Losman, saying Losman's athletic ability will expand the offense in ways it couldn't with the immobile Bledsoe.

"I'm excited about it," Mularkey said. "(Losman) will be good for the offense and good for the team. There will be days and maybe some plays that we're going to say, "I can't believe he did that.' And there will be other plays that we say, "I can't believe he just did that.' I think he's a gamer. He's such a competitor and he's a confident player. You need that at the position."

Mularkey made the move to Losman early so the team could start tailoring the offense around the things Losman does best. Mularkey acknowledged that Losman has to prove he can lead his veteran teammates. But Losman is doing his part, arriving in Buffalo weeks before the team's offseason program began to study the playbook and learn all the nuances of his position.

"Whether he gets it done or not I know at least that he's going to try," Mularkey said. "I think by the time camp comes around, you'll see teammates that were maybe on the fence one way or the other come around and will have open arms towards him."

Mularkey discussed other issues facing the Bills this offseason:

• Travis Henry. Despite the disgruntled running back's threats to hold out if he's not traded, Mularkey expects Henry will attend the spring minicamps if he's still on the team. Henry is upset that the Bills rejected a reported trade that would have sent him to Arizona for Cardinals left tackle L.J. Shelton.

"I know he's frustrated," Mularkey said. "He wants his chance to be a starter. We have done everything we can to really honor his request for a trade. I think there is still time for it to happen. If it doesn't happen, Travis has a contract with us and is required to be here when camp comes around."

Mularkey has not ruled out signing another running back if Henry is traded, but Mularkey said he would be comfortable going into the season with Shaud Williams, Joe Burns and late-season practice squad addition Dante Brown as backups to McGahee.

• Offensive line. Mularkey said finding a new left tackle to replace free agent defector Jonas Jennings is high on the priority list. Free agency is a possibility, but Jennings' replacement could come from within. Mularkey has spoken to center Trey Teague about possibly switching to left tackle, where he played in Denver before signing with Buffalo in 2002. Veteran free agent signee Mike Gandy is another consideration.

Mularkey does not see right tackle Mike Williams as an option on the left side. Williams has started 42 games at right tackle for the Bills.

"I think his forte is right tackle," Mularkey said. "I'd like to see him continue on like he did last year, when he finished strong."

• Pat Williams. The veteran defensive tackle's departure is the only question mark on defense. But Mularkey expressed confidence that Ron Edwards and Tim Anderson can step in and perform at a high level.

"You hope that's the kind of depth you have because teams that win championships every year have people who step in and don't miss a beat," Mularkey said. "We hope that's the direction we're going."

The Bills believe they are headed in the right direction with Mularkey, who weathered a rough start and has his team positioned to be a serious playoff contender.

There were questions about Mularkey's limited experience when he was chosen to succeed Gregg Williams as head coach. But after a solid first season, the Bills feel more than justified with their hire.

"He exceeded our expectations," team President and General Manager Tom Donahoe said. "He never really acted like a rookie head coach, and I've been around a few who did. The start was tough, but the reason the players didn't waver was the head coach. They saw that Mike was steady and his message was, "We're going to stay the course because this is what I know and what I believe in,' and it paid off.

"We're excited to have him as our coach and to continue to work with him to help bring a championship to Buffalo."

[Texas Hog]

What a bunch of mularkey!

[JansenFan]

What a bunch of mularkey!

Couldn't resist, huh? I thought about it, but refrained.

[Texas Hog]

What a bunch of mularkey!

Couldn't resist, huh? I thought about it, but refrained.

Wondered why I was the first.