Bills fire offensive coordinator

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y., Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Buffalo offensive coordinator Turk Schonert was fired Friday just 10 days before the Bills open their season against New England.

Schonert became the third offensive coordinator in the NFL to be dismissed this week. Chan Gailey was let go by Kansas City and Jess Jagodzinski was fired by Tampa Bay.

"We'll move forward as quickly and as well as we possibly can from here," said Buffalo Coach Dick Jauron. "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 call plays for Buffalo when the Bills visit the Patriots for a Monday night game on the season's opening weekend.

Schonert became Buffalo's offensive coordinator last season. The Bills scored just six points in their final two exhibition games. They were shut out by Pittsburgh in their third game and managed two field goals against Detroit Thursday.

The first-team offense did not score a touchdown in 15 possessions this summer. Buffalo won only twice in its last 10 games in 2008. Its offense was ranked 25th in the NFL.