Last week, Buffalo Bills interim head coach Perry Fewell waited as long as he possibly could before naming Brian Brohm his starting quarterback for Week 16 in Atlanta. With that game in the books, Fewell is getting ready to turn back to the man he'd rather have rolled with in Atlanta: Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Participating on a limited basis on Wednesday, Fitzpatrick took most of Buffalo's first-team reps as he continues to try to get back into the lineup despite an ankle injury he suffered in Week 15. Barring a setback in his progress either Thursday or Friday, Fitzpatrick will likely get the start in the Bills' season finale against the 14-1 Indianapolis Colts.
In his last three outings, Fitzpatrick has completed 38 of 68 passes for 362 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He was benched during the Week 15 loss to New England, but returned to the lineup after Trent Edwards suffered a high ankle sprain. (Edwards has been ruled out for Week 17.) Fitzpatrick was injured in that game as well, but remained in the game, leading the Bills to a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Brohm completed 17 of 29 passes for 146 yards with two interceptions in Atlanta. It was his first NFL start; however, he was operating a watered-down version of Buffalo's already-watered-down offense, and the Bills put up their lowest point total of the season in defeat.
Fewell re-iterated to assembled reporters on Wednesday that Fitzpatrick gives his team the best chance to win. It's hard to argue with that; the Bills are 4-4 in games when Fitzpatrick takes the majority of snaps, and 1-6 in games when anyone else does.