FanHouse J.p.Losman

After beginning the game uncharacteristically hot -- hitting on his first five passes for 43 yards -- Bills starting quarterback Trent Edwards has left the game with an apparent knee head injury (see update). Edwards was hobbled after being sacked by Calvin Pace and David Harris of the Jets. After milling around the sidelines for a bit and discussing things with Bills' trainers, Edwards went to the locker room.

In his stead, Ryan Fitzpatrick is taking snaps. Considering the weather (mid-40s, almost 20 MPH winds) and the opponent (the Jets are eighth against the pass), things aren't going to be easy for Fitzpatrick. He's only 4-10-1 in his 15 career starts and sports a sorry 66.9 rating.

Confirming much speculation from a few weeks ago, former Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman has decided to take his craft to the upstart United Football League. Losman will sign with the Las Vegas team in the UFL, who will be coached by Jim Fassel.

Losman entered Buffalo with somewhat modest expectations. He was drafted 22nd overall in 2004, following a senior year at Tulane where he threw for 3,077 yards and 33 touchdown passes. He showed flashes of being a decent quarterback at times, and even threw for 3,051 yards and 19 touchdown passes with an 84.9 rating in his only full season as a starter. Regardless, he lost out on the starting job to Trent Edwards during 2007 and was sent packing after 2008 with his career 10-23 record and 75.6 rating.

If there are two phrases/names/things that are relevant to all things important in the world's culture right now, it's pretty obviously: "J.P. Losman" and "United Football League." No, no. Seriously. That's because today, Losman transplanted Tim Rattay as the most relevant non-ex-felon to potentially hop to the new league.

But, all sarcasm aside, this is kind of a big deal from a football fan's perspective simply because Losman is a pretty huge name when it comes to the UFL. Again. Seriously.

Soon after the Cowboys released Terrell Owens, his agent Drew Rosenhaus proclaimed that T.O. had several teams interested in him and he would be signed by the end of next week. Bluster, perhaps, particularly since most every NFL team couldn't denounce Owens fast enough. But today, FOXSports.com's Jay Glazer and Alex Marvez reported that T.O. is meeting with the Bills and could sign a one-year deal before the weekend's out.

It took the Bills less than 24 hours to find a replacement for J.P. Losman. After never playing consistently enough to convince the front office that he was a legitimate NFL starter -- and five years after Buffalo traded into the first round to select him -- Losman is now a free agent.

Former Harvard star and Rams' seventh-round pick Ryan Fitzpatrick was signed Friday to serve as Trent Edwards' backup. Fitzpatrick started 12 games for the Bengals last season in place of an injured Carson Palmer. He fared well considering the circumstances: 59.4 completion percentage, 1,905 passing yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.

With Jeff Garcia out of the picture in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers' quarterback position is a bit of a question mark. If the season opened right now, the team's starting quarterback would likely be Luke McCown, whom the team recently signed to a two-year contract extension. They also have veteran Brian Griese and 2008 draft pick Josh Johnson on the roster.

According to some of the local scribes in Tampa Bay, there's some chatter around the NFL combine that Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson could be a target in a potential trade.

Just before Thanksgiving, Donovan McNabb's career in Philadelphia looked to be heading to its inglorious end. After getting benched in a blowout loss to the Ravens, there was nothing left to do but play out the season, pack up his stuff and get the hell out of town.

Then the Eagles won four of their final five games to sneak into the playoffs, made it to the NFC Championship before running into the Cards, and now McNabb appears to again be the team's quarterback of the future.

Via the Philly Inquirer:

In early 2004, the Cardinals were fresh off another disappointing season. Journeyman quarterback Jeff Blake had proven to be nothing more than that, Marcel Shipp wasn't even a replacement-level running back, and a rookie wideout named Anquan Boldin was about the only bright spot in an otherwise dismal situation.

Denny Green was hired to fix all that. So it was with some surprise that the Cardinals, a team with needs at every position except wide receiver -- and particularly at quarterback -- would use the third-overall pick to select Larry Fitzgerald.

In early 2004, the Cardinals were fresh off another disappointing season. Journeyman quarterback Jeff Blake had proven to be nothing more than that, Marcel Shipp wasn't even a replacement-level running back, and a rookie wideout named Anquan Boldin was about the only bright spot in an otherwise dismal situation.

Denny Green was hired to fix all that. So it was with some surprise that the Cardinals, a team with needs at every position except wide receiver -- and particularly at quarterback -- would use the third-overall pick to select Larry Fitzgerald.

During the opening week of the season, when Kansas City's Bernard Pollard rolled into the knee of Tom Brady, I, like many, just assumed that the Patriots' season was pretty much finished before it even started. I mean, they were going to be turning the keys of their high-powered offense over to Matt Cassel, a seemingly anonymous guy that had to struggle to make the team out of training camp, after spending the first three years of his NFL career -- and his entire college career -- riding the bench.

Yet, 16 weeks later, here we are and the Patriots not only have a chance to finish the season with an 11-5 record, they have a chance to make the playoffs and/or win the AFC East. Granted, they have to win, and they need some help, but it's been a season that even the most vocal Patriots haters have to be surprised by. Especially when you consider the other injuries the team suffered throughout the season. I'm talking about Rodney Harrison, Laurence Maroney and Adalius Thomas, just to name a few.

Frankly, this might be the best coaching job of Bill Belichick's career, assuming, of course, he didn't cheat. Kidding! I think.

The Patriots close out the regular season at 1 PM ET on Sunday in Buffalo, where they will be taking on a struggling Bills team that is currently on a 2-7 slide after starting the season 5-1. For the Bills, it's all about playing spoiler because misery loves company, or something.

New England gets in with:

1) A win and a Jets win (Gives New England the division)
or
2) A Jaguars win (Gives New England the wild card)