Orchard Park, NY (My Sportsbook) - The
Buffalo Bills on Friday became the third team this week to fire an offensive coordinator, as Turk Schonert was dismissed from his position just 10 days before the season-opener against New England.
Earlier this week, Kansas City fired Chan Gailey and Tampa Bay dismissed Jeff Jagodzinski.
"We've removed Turk Schonert and relieved him of his responsibilities as offensive coordinator," said Bills head coach Dick Jauron. "We'll move forward as quickly and as well as we possibly can from here. It's nothing that we had planned on and was nothing enjoyable in any way shape or form. But that's what occurred."
Quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt will take over the play-calling duties. Van Pelt, a former Bills quarterback who started 11 games from 1995-2003, is in his fourth year as a Buffalo coach and second season as quarterbacks coach.
Schonert was set to start his second season in charge of the Bills' offense, which managed just six points in its final two preseason games. Buffalo was blanked by Pittsburgh last week and on Thursday -- with a majority of the starters sitting -- managed only a pair of second-half field goals in a 17-6 loss to Detroit.
The first-team offense failed to produce a touchdown in 15 possessions during a 1-4 preseason.
Last year, the Bills started the season 5-1 before struggling to a 2-8 mark the rest of the way. The offense, which ranked 25th in the league, was a big factor in the slide. In six of those eight losses, the Bills failed to score more than 17 points.
Things were expected to change this season, especially with the addition of controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens, who hasn't played since the preseason opener because of a toe injury.
Schonert, a former backup quarterback who played mainly for Cincinnati, was Buffalo's quarterbacks coach in 2006 and 2007 before being elevated to the offensive coordinator's position. He was also the team's QB coach from 1998-2000 and has also been the quarterbacks coach for Tampa Bay, Carolina, the Giants and New Orleans.
