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The Buffalo Bills handled Blaine Gabbert's pro day the same way they did Cam Newton's, by taking the touted quarterbacks out to dinner the night before.

NFL.com personnel analyst Gil Brandt blogged Thursday that general manager Buddy Nix "and other Bills representatives" dined with Gabbert on Wednesday night.

Gabbert, who didn't throw at the NFL scouting combine last month, performed well Thursday at Missouri's workout event. The Associated Press reported Gabbert completed 44 of his 49 throws scripted by quarterbacks coach Terry Shea, a former Miami Dolphins assistant.

Reporters on location counted three dropped passes among Gabbert's five incompletions. Brandt wrote Gabbert threw only one uncatchable ball and called the workout "outstanding -- much better than Cam Newton’s at Auburn’s pro day on March 8." Brandy counted six uncatchable balls for Newton.

Because of NFL lockout restrictions, Gabbert could throw only to draft-eligible receivers. His targets came from Division II Central Missouri and Northwest Missouri State and NAIA Lindenwood.

Brandt wrote six head coaches were in attendance. Buffalo coach Chan Gailey was not among them. He didn't attend Auburn's pro day either.

The coaches in Columbia, Mo., were Rex Ryan of the New York Jets (but almost certainly not for the purpose of watching Gabbert), John Fox of the Denver Broncos, Marvin Lewis of the Cincinnati Bengals, Mike Munchak of the Tennessee Titans, Leslie Frazier of the Minnesota Vikings and Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers.

With the way Arthur Moats has been playing lately, the Buffalo Bills rookie linebacker should have a lot more football memories to make.

That's why he claimed his interest level in Monday night's game between the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings was just like any other fan's.

While he might think of it that way, it's not entirely accurate. In a few hours, Moats might go down in history as the player who ended Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre's incredible streak of 297 starts.

"Everyone's checking to see if he's playing or not," Moats told me by phone from the Bills' facility in Orchard Park, N.Y. "We all know it's a big deal. It's hard to play that many games in a row, and I don't know if there will be anyone to touch that record."

Moats could become the answer to a trivia question.

Moats drilled Favre in the first quarter of their Week 13 game at the Metrodome. Favre left his feet and came crashing down on the turf. His right shoulder hit first. Favre left the game and didn't return.

Favre told ESPN's Ed Werder he would not have played Sunday in the Giants game against the Vikings. The game has been delayed because of the frightening Metrodome roof collapse and the extra time might help Favre play Monday night, although head coach Leslie Frazier says the future Hall of Famer remains doubtful.

"If it happens, people will know my name," Moats said. "That's not the way I want to get my name out there, for hurting somebody. "

Moats has been a significant contributor for the Bills. The sixth-round draft choice from James Madison made his first NFL start Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. He ran past Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas to record a strip sack of Jake Delhomme in the 13-6 victory.

Moats said the coaches haven't specifically told him how much they admire the progress he has made as a late-round pick from the Colonial Athletic Association, but he can tell what the Bills think of him.

"Their actions are showing that," Moats said. "I'm out there in critical situations. It feels good as a player because it means I've showed the coaches they can trust me to be in the right place and to make plays. When the game is on the line, that's when you want to be on the field."

Moats could be a part of the Bills' future. They have struggled on defense for much of the season in their transition from a Tampa 2 to a 3-4 alignment, but they have shown signs of growth in the past couple months. Four of their past seven opponents have scored 16 points or fewer in regulation.

"I definitely feel like we're jelling on defense," Moats said. "Everyone knows we put in a new defense, and all of us had to get used to that. We're starting to come together and know it's important that we finish up strong so we can take it into the offseason and next year."

ESPN analysts Darren Woodson and Mark Schlereth each pick the Minnesota Vikings to beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in the Metrodome.

ESPN analysts Tedy Bruschi and Mark Schlereth both pick the New England Patriots to defeat the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in Gillette Stadium -- regardless of whether Brett Favre plays or not.

Bruschi predicts Tom Brady will feast on Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier's "soft Cover 2." Schlereth notes the Patriots are "a work in progress still ... but they find a way to win football games."

LaDainian Tomlinson appeared ground down, milled to the brink of retirement.

The San Diego Chargers were done with him. They felt it was time to move on from a diminished running back, Hall of Famer or not.

Or so they assumed.

Turns out time isn't a determinate concept for Tomlinson. He seems to have gotten younger since joining the New York Jets.

"I know what age I am, but it doesn't mean I can't play," Tomlinson said. "All players don't slow down when they get to 30 or 31.

"Some players just defy the odds, and I like to say that I'm that type of player."

Tomlinson has been sensational for the Jets, who are 3-1 (his age with a little dash mixed in) entering Monday night's game against the Minnesota Vikings at the Meadowlands.

The Jets and the Vikings were the only teams that pursued Tomlinson after the Chargers cut him. His age plus recent play made him a tepid commodity at best. Now opposing defenses are the ones chasing after him.

"He's playing inspired ball, and it's obvious that he was going to be a good player," Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez said. "Management was dead right. He's awesome."

In the interest of full disclosure, ESPN.com's projected year-end stat line for Tomlinson was 161 carries for 646 yards (4.0-yard average) and seven touchdowns plus 17 receptions for 118 yards and one touchdown.

Four games into the season, Tomlinson already has 56 carries for 341 yards (6.1-yard average) and three touchdowns along with 12 catches for 82 yards.

He's on pace to rush for 1,364 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's on track for 48 catches for 328 yards.

Those are Tomlinson's numbers circa 2007. He was an All-Pro that year.

"I am not surprised one bit," Vikings quarterback Brett Favre said. "Sometimes you just kind of get lost in the shuffle, and a change of scenery is sometimes good, not only for the team, but for the player. This is one of those cases. That guy, he's playing outstanding."

Tomlinson attributes his resurgence to being free of nagging leg injuries that plagued him the past couple of years. He appears explosive, shifty and in command.

He has started the past two weeks, something the Jets probably didn't count on when they signed him and a role he certainly wouldn't have played with Adrian Peterson in Minnesota.

The Jets released Thomas Jones because they were ready to make Shonn Greene the lead back. Tomlinson was going to be a complement in the run game while providing Sanchez a reliable checkdown target the young quarterback said can "break a defense's back."

Yet Tomlinson has been so much more.

"I just thought he was going to be outstanding. He's been better than that," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "He's amazing."

The Vikings present the most formidable run defense Tomlinson has faced this year. He has been feasting on teams that rank in the bottom half of the league: the Baltimore Ravens (21st), New England Patriots (18th), Miami Dolphins (23rd) and Buffalo Bills (32nd).

Tomlinson will get to face three of those defenses again in December, when the Jets make their second tour of the AFC East circuit.

The Vikings have a track record of nasty run defenses. They ranked No. 1 in 2006, '07 and '08. They were No. 2 last year.

The Vikings are ninth against the run so far this year, allowing 3.6 yards a carry and 87.3 yards a game.

"It doesn't look like he's lost anything to me," Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. "He's making some real good runs. He seems to be really motivated to have a good year. We're going to have our hands full trying to stop him."

The Jets know they need to keep Tomlinson young into the cold-weather months. Tomlinson grew up in Texas and played at Texas Christian University before spending his NFL career in balmy San Diego until this year.

Tomlinson seems spry now, but can he keep it up when the bumps and bruises accumulate and start to sting in the howling Meadowlands winds or in the snow and freezing rain that will fall in the Midwest and Northeast stadiums?

With another capable runner in the backfield -- Greene was the offensive star of the playoffs last season -- Ryan is confident the mere distribution of carries will be Tomlinson's Oil of Olay.

Last week against the Bills, Tomlinson overtook Tony Dorsett for seventh place on the all-time rushing list and earned AFC offensive player of the week honors for the first time since 2006.

Tomlinson ran for 133 yards, most in the NFL that weekend, and two touchdowns. It was his 25th career game of 100-plus yards and at least two touchdowns, tying Jim Brown for the all-time lead. Tomlinson's teams are 25-0 when he does that.

Sure, his time-capsule performance happened against the hapless Bills and Peterson was on a bye last weekend (helping Tomlinson lead the entire league), but his performances have been no less compelling.

"It's obvious he's still a good player," Sanchez said, "and when you put him in the right system, you have an O-line that's opening holes for him and you get a young, stubborn quarterback who is finally figuring out how to check the ball down, he looks like an all-star, and he should. He's that kind of player."

I've received quite a few e-mails and text messages from South Floridians incredulous at the report the Buffalo Bills had Cam Cameron on their head-coaching short list.

And they're disappointed it didn't come to fruition.

John Murphy, sports director of Buffalo's CBS affiliate and the Bills' play-by-play voice, reported the Bills had two sets of candidates: realistic and idealistic.

The viable candidates Murphy listed were free agent Chan Gailey, Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and Cameron, who is currently the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator.

There was no mention of New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who confirmed last week the Bills requested an interview that he turned down.

Among the long-shot candidates Murphy named were free agents Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, Mike Shanahan and Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh.

While I'm not as down on Cameron as some folks are, you have to wonder why the Bills would be so interested. Cameron is two seasons removed from his only season as a head coach, when he went 1-15 with the Miami Dolphins and was fired.

It was a disastrous season in which the Dolphins botched the ninth overall draft pick (that's the selection the Bills have this year) by selecting Ted Ginn.

Cameron mismanaged a dicey quarterback situation, and if Bills need anything right now it's somebody who can get a handle on that position. After signing veteran free agent Trent Green to hold down the job and drafting John Beck in the second round as the quarterback of the future, the Dolphins fell apart and came away with journeyman Cleo Lemon as their best option that year. Beck lasted two seasons before the Dolphins cut him.

Cameron also insisted on keeping the offensive coordinator's job, but when the season unraveled he surreptitiously handed off to tight ends coach Mike Mularkey, a name that now has Bills fans laughing just as hard as Dolfans are at memories of Cameron.

Pardon me if I was a little startled by the news Monday that the Buffalo Bills were going to hire Chan Gailey as their next head coach. What, was Bruce Coslet not available?

It appears that the Bills swung for the fences -- and then settled for a weak grounder to short. To label this an uninspiring hire is an injustice to the uninspiring men who preceded Gailey in Buffalo. One of those men, Wade Phillips, just led the Cowboys to their second division title in three seasons.

Gailey took over a star-studded (if aging) Cowboys team coming off a 6-10 season and led them to the playoffs in 1998 and 1999. Owner Jerry Jones was so impressed with Gailey's 18-14 record that he fired him after a playoff loss to the Vikings and replaced him with Dave Campo. No one really likes to say this in polite company, but quarterback Troy Aikman clashed with Gailey and wanted him gone. And Jones didn't hesitate in pulling the trigger. Here's what Jones said at the time:

"This decision I had to make is about football,'' Jones said in Jan. 2000. ''It wasn't about egos. Chan Gailey, relative to when he accepted this job, burned the midnight oil. He worked hard, he was diligent, he was honest. He did everything I imagined."

And it turns out that Jones was still thinking about the Gailey firing when he decided to retain Wade Phillips following the '08 season's December-January collapse. Something about continuity. Here's what Jones said about his decision to fire Gailey earlier this month:

"The most unfair that I've ever been in anything in sports and maybe in other parts was dismissing Chan after two years," Jones said. "That wasn't right. ... That is one thing I look at today in my mirror and say you just weren't as fair as you needed to be there to the team, the fans and certainly to Chan to make that change after two years."

So there you have it. The lesson Jones learned from the Gailey firing is one of the main reasons Phillips is still around. That and the fact that Jones hates the idea of coaches sitting at home while he pays them $3 million. And by the way, Gailey was making $500,000 per year as the head coach of the Cowboys when he was fired in 2000.

The club's offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, makes roughly $3 million per year now. For any Bills fans who may stumble onto this blog, Gailey is a remarkably nice man. He has no business being a head coach in this league, but I can pretty much assure you that he won't be accused of striking an assistant coach at any point in the near future.

If I'm someone like Leslie Frazier, this hire really ticks me off. Some of these assistants have worked their tails off to position themselves for a head-coaching opportunity. And they're passed over for a man who flamed out in Dallas a decade ago.

In honor of the Buffalo Bills hiring longtime NFL offensive coordinator Chan Gailey as their next head coach, SportsNation has put together a page of polls about the state of the franchise.

Head over to SportsNation to share your opinions on the following questions:

Is Chan Gailey a good choice for the Buffalo Bills?

• Yes
• No

What city will the Bills call home five years from now?

• Buffalo
• Los Angeles
• Toronto
• Other

Other than Bill Cowher and Mike Shanahan, what rumored candidate would have been the best hire for the Bills?

• Perry Fewell
• Leslie Frazier
• Chan Gailey
• Brian Schottenheimer

What is the better coaching job?

• Bills
• Raiders

Is Trent Edwards a franchise quarterback?

• Yes
• No

CBS Sports analyst Charley Casserly on Saturday reported the Buffalo Bills offered their head-coaching position to Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh, but he turned them down.

The scoop was another big blow to a wounded organization's reputation.

Who wants this job?

The Bills have had two months to replace Dick Jauron. Two other clubs have fired coaches and replaced them within a week. It will be interesting to see if the Oakland Raiders fire Tom Cable and hire someone before the Bills announce Jauron's replacement.

Several have spurned the Bills' overtures. Below is a rejection rundown with a "snub scale" for how much Bills fans should be bothered by each rebuff. I'm not going to bother analyzing Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden or Mike Holmgren, all of whom have been approached in some manner by the Bills and turned down.

Confirmed interviews

Free-agent coach Mike Shanahan: Accepted head-coaching post with the Washington Redskins. Snub scale (out of 10): 1. The Redskins are a high-profile franchise that spends a lot of money. A no-brainer for Shanahan.

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier: Still alive in the playoffs, and we don't know how interested he is in the Bills. What if Frazier turns them down, too? Snub scale: Incomplete.

Bills interim coach Perry Fewell: Would rather take a defensive coordinator job with the New York Giants than wait for the possibility of a head coaching job. Snub scale: 3. If your dream is to be an NFL head coach, then you'd normally wait before accepting a lesser job, but Fewell saw the writing on the wall.

Reported offer

Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh: Would rather remain in the Pac-10 than be Bills head coach. Snub scale: 10. For wanting to remain with a second-tier college program rather than be head coach for Buffalo.

Declined interviews

New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer: Would rather remain a coordinator than run the Bills. Snub scale: 8. For preferring to have success as a supporting cast member than be a head coach, which he harbors dreams of doing.

San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera: Reportedly told the Bills and Seattle Seahawks he wasn't interested in interviewing for their jobs. We still haven't heard from Rivera on this like we've heard from Schottenheimer. Snub scale: If true, an Incomplete because he hasn't gone on record to say he definitely wouldn't interview when the Chargers are eliminated.

Former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis: Would rather be the offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs. John Murphy, sports director of Buffalo CBS affiliate WIVB and the Bills' play-by-play radio voice, reported the Bills' interest in Weis. Snub scale: 9. For signing up to be an underling on a four-win club, but at least he's joining old friends he's comfortable with.

Might decline an interview

Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm: Buffalo News reporter Allen Wilson reported Grimm likely will turn down the Bills' request to interview. Snub scale: If Grimm follows through, a 10 for shunning one of the NFL's precious 32 roles he covets.

John in La Jolla, Calif., writes in with a complaint: "Tim, why do you have so little respect for the Chargers? I can't wait for your response. Hardly anyone at ESPN ever mentions them."

Tim Graham: The fact the San Diego Chargers play in the AFC West and this is an AFC East blog might have a little something to do with it. That would explain my lack of Chargers coverage over the past two years.

As for a lack of respect, I've gone on record as predicting the Chargers will beat the New York Jets on Sunday. So have all eight ESPN experts who pick the games, AccuScore and the SportsNation poll. Notice those 10 yellow lightning bolts all in a row? That means they're predicting a Chargers victory.

Ethan in Austin, Texas, thinks the Buffalo Bills' inability to land a coach has been "overplayed" because of his belief that Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is the only one to have turned down an interview, that Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera eventually will interview and that there have been no confirmed reports Bill Cowher is out of the mix.

TG: That's an awful lot of blind hope. In all fairness, Ethan submitted his question before Saturday's report in the Buffalo News that Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm likely won't accept the Bills' invitation to interview either. Even so, these men also spurned overtures from the Bills: Jon Gruden, Mike Holmgren and Charlie Weis. Mike Shanahan interviewed and went elsewhere. That's a lot of rejection.

Interim coach Perry Fewell would rather have the New York Giants' defensive coordinator job than the possibility of the Bills' head-coaching position. That leaves one candidate we know they've interviewed and still is available, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.

As for still waiting on Cowher, what are you basing that hope on? Other reports that state the Bills have been pursuing him? You can't listen only to the stories that tell you what you want to hear. ESPN's Adam Schefter and John Clayton and Sports Illustrated's Peter King all have reported Cowher isn't coming to Buffalo.

Tony in Madison, Wisc., wants to know what the Miami Dolphins should do in the draft. He mentions the defensive line, receiver and safety.

TG: Let's not forget inside linebacker. The Dolphins need to upgrade there, too. They were ready to walk away from Channing Crowder last year and let him become a free agent. Crowder gave them a discount rate to remain with the team. Otherwise, the Dolphins would have gone a different direction a while ago. Akin Ayodele hasn't been a difference-maker, either.

The Dolphins own the No. 12 selection. A receiver there would be the sexiest pick. Chad Henne could use a formidable and reliable downfield target. But if the Dolphins identify a nose tackle they like, and who projects worthy of the draft slot, then that could be the way to go. Nose tackle is critical to a 3-4 defense. Jason Ferguson is a free agent, would turn 36 next season and is coming off a leg injury that limited him to nine games. Paul Soliai was adequate in Ferguson's place, but the Dolphins probably wouldn't mind improving there.

Carlos posted a question on my Facebook wall about how the Patriots might change on the offensive line to make room for Sebastian Vollmer. (If anybody else wants to friend me on Facebook, you can get alerts on my blogs the second they're posted.)

TG: Although receiver Julian Edelman was the biggest name at the end of the year, Vollmer was the prize of New England's 2009 rookie class. Vollmer showed he was capable of being a franchise left tackle, but the Patriots would be better off if they kept the aging-but-still-capable Matt Light through the final year of his contract and insert Vollmer on the right side for Nick Kaczur. If the Patriots wanted to cut payroll, however, then they could start Vollmer at left tackle next year with no problem.

In response to the debate about whether Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis deserved to win the AP's Defensive Player of the Year Award instead of Green Bay Packers defensive back Charles Woodson, Kevin in Menlo Park, Calif., wants to know how each player compared from a penalty standpoint.

TG: Revis was penalized four times for 20 yards. Three flags were for illegal contact. The other was for defensive holding. No pass interference calls.

Woodson was penalized eight times for 68 yards. He was called for pass interference three times, defensive holding three times and facemask twice.

Steve in Middlesex, N.J., writes in with a correction. He points out that twice I erroneously cited the Dallas Cowboys finished with a better scoring defense while, in fact, the Jets gave up fewer points.

TG: Guilty as charged. I have no explanation other than I must've looked up the stat incorrectly the first time and then committed those false numbers to memory. For the record, the Jets allowed a league-low 236 points for an average of 14.8 points per game. The Cowboys allowed 250 points for an average of 15.6 points per game.

Gene in Rochester, N.Y., writes: "Do you ever get tired putting down the Bills all the time? Its getting old."

TG: After a full decade without making the playoffs, the only way I can avoid writing anything negative about the Bills would be not to cover them at all.

ESPN's Adam Schefter provides his take on the searches for a Buffalo Bills head coach and a Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator.

The Buffalo Bills have had two months to interview candidates and hire a new head coach.

In that span -- unless they held some more stealth meetings -- the Bills have formally interviewed one candidate who's still available.

Getting antsy, Bills fans?

The New York Giants announced Thursday that Perry Fewell will be their defensive coordinator. Fewell was the Bills' interim head coach and interviewed for their permanent job last week.

Fewell wasn't going to return to the Bills anyway, but the fact he and other members of their fired staff are finding work within two weeks (special teams coordinator Bobby April joined the Philadelphia Eagles, and offensive line coach Sean Kugler joined the Pittsburgh Steelers) while the Bills are spinning their wheels doesn't look good.

Since the regular season ended, two NFL clubs have fired their head coaches and hired replacements.

With Fewell off the market, that leaves Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier the lone applicant to have interviewed that we know about. The Bills met with Frazier on Thursday.

Since then, we've learned New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera have rejected overtures from the Bills.

Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm reportedly has agreed to a Bills interview request, but he isn't expected to sit down with them until after the playoffs.

The Bills interviewed Mike Shanahan in November. He accepted the Washington Redskins' gig. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported the Bills held a "stealth meeting" with Bill Cowher two weeks ago. The Bills reportedly approached former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, who took a job as Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator.

Maybe this process is going exactly the way the Bills envisioned, but somehow I doubt it.

Do the Buffalo Bills have the worst head-coaching job in the entire NFL?

It's difficult to argue otherwise when they keep getting turned down for interviews.

Most of the A-list candidates gave Buffalo the Heisman stiff arm a long time ago. Now, top assistants who've never been head coaches before are saying "No, thanks."

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, after receiving permission from his employer to interview, will not speak with the Bills this week or in the event the Jets are knocked out of the playoffs.

Scottenheimer told me over the weekend how happy he was with the Jets, saying he still wanted to be a head coach ""at some point down the line, but I won't be disappointed if I'm here the next five or six years."

The San Diego Union-Tribune on Monday reported Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera turned down opportunities to interview with the Bills and Seattle Seahawks last week.

Since general manager Buddy Nix was hired, the Bills have interviewed interim coach Perry Fewell and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.

But one top assistant has agreed to an interview. Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm told the Associated Press he would talk to the Bills, but probably not until the Cardinals' postseason is over.

Any speculation of the Buffalo Bills' timetable in pinpointing a new head coach would be a guesstimate.

But nothing will happen until owner Ralph Wilson gives his blessing.

Bills general manager Buddy Nix on Thursday interviewed Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, their second known interview of the week in addition to Bills interim coach Perry Fewell.

John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which advocates minority hiring in the NFL, spoke with Nix after Frazier's interview. While Nix offered glowing reports on both interviews, he also conveyed the process wasn't nearing completion.

"I think Buddy has a couple more candidates he wants to interview," Wooten said. "He'll decide on one or two guys he feels good about, and then those guys will have an opportunity to meet with Mr. Wilson and go from there."

When the Bills essentially dismissed their entire coaching staff Monday, many NFL insiders believed that was a harbinger for a quick hire.

The Bills haven't disclosed any details about their list of candidates or their agenda.

They have until the end of the week to interview assistants of teams that have first-round playoff byes.

One supposed aspirant, San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, told Buffalo NBC affiliate WGRZ on Thursday he hadn't been contacted. Free agent Brian Billick, the former Baltimore Ravens head coach, also told the station he hadn't been approached.

ProFootballTalk.com reported Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh is a possible candidate for the Bills and Oakland Raiders.

If the Bills have their eye on an assistant who's involved in the first round of the playoffs, then they will have to wait until that team is eliminated to interview him.

Wooten spoke with Nix because as part of the protocol for Rooney Rule interviews. The Rooney Rule mandates at least one minority be interviewed for every head coach or top personnel opening.

"We got some real good reports from the Bills on Perry and Leslie," Wooten said. "Both of them felt good about their interviews.

"Buddy Nix was extremely generous with his compliments, and they had great interviews and felt things were moving forward. We feel good about it."

But nobody expects Fewell to be back in Buffalo. Wooten confirmed Fewell interviewed Thursday with the New York Giants to be their defensive coordinator and will meet with the Chicago Bears next about the same position.

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has been viewed as a token interview over the years, an obligatory candidate for various head-coaching vacancies because he's black. NFL policy stipulates that at least one minority be interviewed for every vacancy.

But we can safely state the Buffalo Bills don't view Frazier as a required interview. The Bills will meet with Frazier on Thursday morning to discuss their opening.

The Bills aren't searching for a minority to interview as many teams have done in the past. They interviewed interim coach Perry Fewell on Monday afternoon. The Bills also are reportedly interested in San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera. Fewell is black. Rivera is Puerto Rican.

John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which oversees the so-called Rooney Rule on minority hires, said he anticipated the Bills will interview Rivera later this week.

Frazier and Rivera are permitted to interview for the Bills' opening before the end of their teams' seasons because they have first-round postseason byes.

"I'm impressed," Wooten said of the Bills' search. "They didn’t have to interview any of these minority guys. They've already satisfied the Rooney Rile with the interview they gave Perry Fewell."

Wooten couldn't confirm a scheduled interview for Rivera, but the Fritz Pollard Alliance stages preparatory sessions for candidates before they interview. The organization already has met with Rivera about the Bills.

Frazier declined to comment on Thursday's interview when I reached him at the Vikings' facility because he was on his way to a team meeting.

Frazier has interviewed for five openings over the past two years. He was the lone minority the Miami Dolphins interviewed for the job Tony Sparano assumed in 2008.

"He has absolutely earned it," said Wooten, a Pro Bowl guard for the Cleveland Browns in the 1960s. "I think he's really ready to take the step up. I think he should have gotten the job with St. Louis and Detroit. I really thought he'd fit right in with those particular spots last year. He was disappointed, and I told him there was nothing wrong with becoming disappointed, but don't get discouraged.

"He'll do a fantastic job tomorrow. His stinger will be up and he'll give a good interview. I think he brings the fire they need."