THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- In the four seasons centre Duke Preston has played for the Buffalo Bills, the team has gone through two coaches, two general managers and three offensive co-ordinators -- changes that have failed to build a contender.

With coach Dick Jauron's job in jeopardy after three consecutive 7-9 finishes, Preston was one of several Bills players arguing in favour of continuity and against team owner Ralph Wilson from making another round of changes.

"In our day and age of instant gratification, making switches and pulling pieces apart, I don't know if that's the best way to do it all the time," Preston said, as he and his teammates met for the final time and cleaned out their lockers a day after a season-ending 13-0 loss to New England. "If you keep jumping pieces and hoping that it's just going to stick, I don't know. For coach Jauron and his staff, and the work that we put in, I really think it's close."

Others might argue.

For a team that raised expectations with a 5-1 start, the Bills were undone by a series of injuries and on-field blunders. Buffalo closed its season 2-8 to finish last in the AFC East and miss the playoffs for a ninth consecutive year.

It's up to Wilson to determine whether to keep Jauron, a decision that could come within days after the coach and Bills front-office executives meet at the owner's home in suburban Detroit.

The team has not announced when the meeting will occur.

As recently as last week, Wilson wouldn't say which way he was leaning, though he indicated his decision will be influenced by input from chief operating officer Russ Brandon and chief scout Tom Modrak, who will have more say in football decisions on a team that doesn't have a general manager.

Jauron has completed his initial three-year contract, and it's not known whether the team had previously offered him an extension. Most of the Bills assistant coaches -- including both co-ordinators Perry Fewell and Turk Schonert -- are signed through the end of next season.

A coaching change could prove expensive for an owner who doesn't like buying out contracts, which might happen if a new coach brought in new staff.

The Bills have been down this road numerous times this decade. Jauron is the team's fourth head coach in eight seasons.

Jauron addressed his players during a half-hour team meeting Monday morning, but did not make himself available to the media. That's not unusual. He waited several weeks before addressing reporters following each of the past two seasons.

Players described Jauron's address as nothing out of the ordinary, and indicated that he showed no signs of someone whose job is in jeopardy.

Following the game Sunday, Jauron gave his standard answer to questions about his status, saying he's always concerned about his future.

Jauron is taking the brunt of the criticism for the team's meltdown, with his play-calling particularly in question. The Bills lacked consistency and an identity in botching several scoring opportunities in the red zone this season, including a blown chance at a field goal before time ran out in the first half against New England.

Despite the blunders, Buffalo did show improvement on both sides of the ball over last year.

In quarterback Trent Edwards' first season as starter, the offence scored 10 more touchdowns and produced 4,882 yards -- the most since 2002. On defence, the unit allowed nearly 600 fewer yards than last year and held opponents to 16 or fewer points seven times.

The trouble was the Bills going a disastrous 0-6 against division rivals, and committing 30 turnovers as compared to generating 22 takeaways.

Safety Donte Whitner said the blame rests with the players.

"We underachieved this season. It has nothing to do with coach Jauron," Whitner said, adding he had no regrets for making a guarantee last spring that the Bills would make the playoffs.

"I did make it, and I still feel the same way about this football team," Whitner said. "Somehow, some way, we find a way to lose games when we shouldn't. We have to get rid of that mentality. It's just about believing and going out there and getting it done."