I can't say that the firing of Turk Schonert surprises me, but the timing sure does. I just don't get why you wait four preseason games to shake up your staff when you had the entire offseason to do it. But Dick Jauron made the decision -- not owner Ralph Wilson -- and he will have to live by it.

Make no mistake, this was all Jauron, and while it smacks of a panic move, it's his way of taking care of business in what could be his final year in Buffalo. Jauron has to win, otherwise he's gone, and he saw enough this summer to know he couldn't win with the offense he had. So he made a change with his coordinator, and of the three firings made this week this is the one I have the least problem with -- not because of anything involving Schonert but because of everything that's going on with Jauron. He knows he could get canned at any moment, so if he's going down he decided he will do it on his terms -- and that makes sense to me.

I just want to know what he discovered the past month that he didn't know last year when Schonert was offensive coordinator. The Bills were supposed to be different this year, more exciting, more productive, on offense, and they weren't. In fact, they were dreadful and seemed to get worse with each preseason game. That was enough for Jauron, who made the move to Alex Van Pelt, and expect him to make the offense less complicated than Schonert.

Also expect him to be more communicative with his players. Say what you want about Schonert, but one thing that he was not was a great communicator. According to those who knew him, he wasn't something who sought out others for input, either. I would expect that to change.

What doesn't change is the division the Bills are in, and pity Jauron and Van Pelt. It will be tough to win in the AFC East, but Jauron will try to do it the best way he can -- and he decided he couldn't get there with Schonert. So he pulled the plug. Better late than never, I guess.