ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Dick Jauron was fired by Buffalo on Tuesday with the Bills off to a 3-6 start and among the lowest scoring teams in the NFL.
The team said Jauron’s replacement would be promoted coordinator Perry Fewell.
The Bills are averaging just over 15 points per game on an offense that acquired Terrell Owens this season but remains unsettled at quarterback. The defense is riddled with injuries, and has allowed an NFL-worst 173 yards rushing a game.
Bills owner Ralph Wilson called it “a very difficult decision,” but noted it was “one that needed to be made at this time for the best interest of our team.”
The move comes two days after Buffalo returned from a bye week and were beaten, 41-17, by the Tennessee Titans. Jauron leaves with a 24-33 record over three-plus seasons.
“I really don’t have anything to say,” was all Jauron would say when reached on his cell phone by The Associated Press.
The Bills play at Jacksonville on Sunday.
Buffalo, which has not made the playoffs since 1999, has now gone through four coaches since the end of the 2000 season, when Wade Phillips was dismissed. Gregg Williams was not rehired after his three-year contract expired, while Mike Mularkey abruptly resigned after a front-office shakeup following the 2005 season.
Jauron was hired by general manager Marv Levy, who took over the post following Tom Donahoe’s dismissal. Jauron has been on the hotseat ever since last season, after he led the Bills to their third consecutive 7-9 finish.
Expressing a need for continuity, Wilson elected to retain Jauron. The Hall of Fame owner, however, noted that he was aware of Bills fans’ dissatisfaction with the team, and warned that he wasn’t going to be “complacent” in seeking improvements, particularly on offense.
Those improvements haven’t come even after the team made a big splash in free agency by signing Owens to a one-year $6.5 million contract in March, days after the receiver was released by Dallas.
Owens hasn’t provided a spark to an offense that has been undone by a young and inexperienced offensive line and poor play at quarterback, whether it’s starter Trent Edwards or backup Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The Bills haven’t generated 300 yards offense in eight of nine games this season, including their past seven. They also haven’t had a quarterback generate 200 yards passing since Edwards had 230 yards in a 33-20 win over Tampa Bay in Week 2.
Jauron opened the season by firing offensive coordinator Turk Schonert, and replacing him with Alex Van Pelt, who had no experience beyond being the team’s quarterbacks coach.

MERRIMAN SUED BY TEQUILA:

SAN DIEGO — Reality TV star Tila Tequila filed a lawsuit against San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman alleging domestic violence.
Attorney Cyrus Nownejad told The Associated Press that Tequila is seeking $1.5 million in damages.
Merriman was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on Sept. 6 after Tequila signed a citizen’s arrest warrant accusing him of battery and false imprisonment at his suburban home. District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis declined to charge Merriman.
Merriman told the AP in an e-mail that he hadn’t seen a copy of the suit. His attorney didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday.
Tequila, whose real name is Tila Ngyuen, alleges assault, battery, false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
She said that when she tried to leave his house, Merriman grabbed her by her arms. When she tried to break free, Merriman shook her like a rag doll, the suit said.
Merriman threw her onto a couch, hurting her neck, jaw and back, then choked her until she almost passed out, the suit alleges.
Tequila said in the lawsuit that Merriman had a short temper, used drugs and humiliated her because of her bisexuality.
The lawsuit includes two exhibits of photos, including photos purporting to show bruises on Tequila’s arms and neck.

LJ INTRODUCED BY CINCY:

Larry Johnson might have his career up-and-running sooner than expected.
The running back who was banished from Kansas City for bad behavior signed on for a backup role with the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, giving the AFC North leaders depth for the rest of this season. He might not be watching for long.
A day after coach Marvin Lewis referred to Johnson as an insurance policy in case of injury, he said it's possible the running back could play in some form Sunday in Oakland if starter Cedric Benson is still limited by a strained hip.
"I'm not saying that it can't happen, I'm not saying that it will happen, but stay tuned," Lewis said, with Johnson sitting by his side. "He'd like to play, I know that. And we'll see what happens as we go through the week, as I said earlier, regarding Cedric with his injury."
Johnson has his own goal for getting on the field: Dec. 27, when the Bengals play the Chiefs at Paul Brown Stadium. That could set up the second get-even game for a Bengals running back this season. Benson was carrying a grudge when he ran for a career-high 189 yards against his former Bears team on Oct. 25.
Johnson is toting one, too.
"I'd be lying if I said I ain't looking at that game as a game I want to definitely play in, but we take it a game at a time, one situation at a time," Johnson said. "I'm just trying to get on the field as of right now. If that happens, it'd be the best Christmas gift I can get."
The Bengals waived defensive tackle Orien Harris to open a roster spot for Johnson, who knew he'd be listed fourth on the depth chart to start.
"I have to work my way back up," Johnson said. "You have to earn your stripes, literally, in the situation I'm in."
The signing came eight days after the Chiefs let him go as he was set to return from his second suspension in the past 12 months. The Bengals are taking little financial risk by bringing Johnson in for the rest of the season — he could be released if he becomes a problem.
"He knows what's at stake and at risk," Lewis said. "He gets an opportunity to start anew, just like anyone would. He has paid a price for what's gone on, things he's said and done, and it came to a finality in Kansas City. And now it's a new start."
He got a second chance in Cincinnati, which has a history of providing them for troubled players. Owner Mike Brown brought Chris Henry back to the team before the 2008 season — over Lewis' disagreement — and the receiver has stayed out of trouble since then. Henry is out for the rest of the season with a broken left arm.
When injuries decimated their group of running backs last season, the Bengals signed Benson to a one-year deal despite his two alcohol-related arrests in Texas. The cases were dropped when grand juries declined to indict, and the Bengals offered a deal.
Benson has revitalized his career in Cincinnati — he ranks sixth in the league in rushing with 859 yards and leads the NFL with 205 carries, only nine shy of his career high with roughly half a season to go. His backup, Bernard Scott, is a rookie chosen in the sixth round from Abilene Christian.
Benson couldn't finish an 18-12 win at Pittsburgh on Sunday because of his hip injury, which gave the Bengals pause. The win left Cincinnati (7-2) in first place in the AFC North by a game, in position to make its second playoff appearance in the last 19 years.
Lewis has assured Benson he will remain the top running back. During an interview Tuesday with Sirius XM Radio, Benson sounded open to it.
"Yeah, I mean, well, you know, it's good for him," Benson said. "I was once in that position, and he's getting his opportunity again. In all aspects we definitely plan on it to be a contribution to the team. If he can help the team in a positive way, then I'm all for that."
Johnson turns 30 on Thursday, and his production has declined in recent years. The Chiefs let him go following several controversies.
He was benched for three games in 2008 by former Chiefs coach Herm Edwards for violating team rules, and the NFL added a game. He later was sentenced to two years' probation after pleading guilty to disturbing the peace at a Kansas City night spot.
Three weeks ago, he posted a gay slur on his Twitter account and questioned the competence of coach Todd Haley, drawing a two-week suspension. The Chiefs decided to cut ties with him rather than let him return.
"It was just a relationship that was souring," Johnson said. "And in Kansas City being in kind of a small market, and knowing every little thing I was going to say was going to be blown up to mythical proportions."

BOWE VIOLATES LEAGUE DRUG POLICY:

Dwayne Bowe, in and out of his coach's doghouse all year, is in much deeper trouble now.
Kansas City's third-year wide receiver was suspended without pay for four games Tuesday for violating the NFL's policy against performance-enhancing substances.
Bowe's agent, Todd France, said his client was guilty only of taking a weight loss supplement.
"Dwayne did not take a steroid or any other peformance-enhancing drug," France said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "However he took a diuretic for weight loss, which unfortunately has a negative affect under the league's policy. Dwayne is sincerely disappointed and apologetic that he let down the Chiefs organization, his teammates and the fans. He looks forward to returning and putting this situation behind him."
Neither the Chiefs nor the league would make further comment.
Bowe's loss is a blow to the Chiefs (2-7), who have struggled in coach Todd Haley's first year and been particularly weak at wide receiver, signing them off the street throughout the year and then discarding them and trying others.
The only constant at the position has been the talented but exasperating Bowe. Although the former first-round pick out of LSU has abundant ability, he's made a habit of coming up with a spectacular catch on one play only to drop an easy ball or make a silly mistake the next.
He was one of the first players to run afoul of the new regime when Haley replaced Herm Edwards this year. Although he was clearly the most talented pass-catcher on the team after the trade of tight end Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta, he dropped as low as third-team on the depth chart and spent much of the summer fighting his way back.
"I think that was good for me overall," he said in an interview in September. "I didn't like it at the time, didn't really understand why it happened. But I think I'm a better practice player now."
Heading into this weekend's game against Pittsburg, Bowe leads the Chiefs with 33 catches — but last week's victory over Oakland was a typical Dwayne Bowe game.
He had six catches for 91 yards and played a key role in the Chiefs' fourth win in 34 games. But he also infuriated his coach when he lined up on the wrong side of the field on a key play. Forced to waste a time out, Haley screamed at him from the sideline and a few minutes later was seen talking intensely with his wide receiver on the bench.
Bowe also had a season-high 109 yards in the Chiefs' other win, at Washington.
In the final weeks of the 2008 season, Bowe made one of the most fateful blunders of the year. The Chiefs, on their way to a 2-14 season, had what appeared to be a comfortable lead against San Diego but the Chargers scored and tried an onside kick. The ball bounced right to Bowe, and then bounced off his chest. San Diego recovered and scored in the last seconds for a 22-21 win.
As a result, the Chargers slipped into the playoffs and did not make the coaching change many fans were calling for.
In Kansas City, however, Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson was fired the next day and replaced by Scott Pioli, who fired Edwards and gave Haley his first chance to be a head coach.
"They say a lot of things happened because of that play," Bowe said in an interview this year. "I had my hands on the ball, but somebody pulled it away from me."
In his 40-game NFL career, he has 189 catches for 2,483 yards (13.1 ypc) and 16 TDs.
As a rookie, he played in all 16 games, making 15 starts and finishing with 70 catches for 995 yards and five touchdowns. His reception and receiving yardage totals set franchise season records by a Chiefs rookie.
Bowe started all 16 games for the Chiefs in 2008, finishing with 86 catches — a franchise single-season record for wide receivers — for 1,022 yards and seven touchdowns.