National Football League

NOTEBOOK;Thomas recovers nicely from early fumble

Published Oct. 15, 2010 10:11 p.m. ET

foxsports

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Mike Thomas didn't get rattled when he fumbled the first punt of the game to set up Buffalo's first touchdown.

"It wasn't bad, man,'' Thomas said. "He [Cary Harris] just put his helmet on the football. Stuff like that happens. They get paid, too.''

The Bills capitalized on the next play when Lee Evans caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Bills added a field goal about four minutes later, taking advantage of a David Garrard interception.

"We gave them those points,'' Thomas said. "It wasn't nothing they did. We did it to ourselves. We kind of knew we had a good chance of getting back in it. We kept fighting.''

The Jaguars rallied from a 10-0 deficit to win 36-26 and Thomas showed the early fumble didn't bother him. He caught four passes for 51 yards, including a 25-yarder, and ran three reverses for 53 yards, including a 33-yarder.

His two big gains were on consecutive plays in a drive that enabled the Jaguars to tie the game at 13 just before halftime.

"We stayed aggressive. We continued to fight and play,'' Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said of the early miscues. "Mike needs to secure that ball. I think we were minus three [turnovers] on the day. You usually don't have many of those days work out in your favor. He's usually been very solid in ball security.''

SIMS-WALKER COMES ALIVE

Mike Sims-Walker didn't catch a pass in either of the Jaguars' two wins, and had just 12 receptions on the season heading into Sunday's game.

He was blanked in the first half by the Bills before catching all four of his passes in the third quarter, including a seven-yard touchdown pass, which broke a 20-20 tie.

Though he seemed to suggest he was frustrated last week because he wasn't getting the ball more, Sims-Walker said that wasn't the case.

"I'm not frustrated at all,'' he said. "I love Jacksonville. I love my coaches, my teammates. I love the city, man. I just said I'd like to be more involved in the offense. We're winning We're 3-2 right now. That's all that matters. I didn't say I was upset. I want to be in Jacksonville making plays.''

FOURTH-DOWN GAMBLE FAILS

For the second time this year, a Del Rio fourth-down gamble backfired in the third quarter.

In the opener against Denver, Maurice Jones-Drew was stopped on 4th-and-1 on the Jaguars 39. On Sunday, Garrard fumbled on 4th-and-1 at the Jaguars 45.

Both times, the Jaguars were ahead by a touchdown. And both times, the opposing team came back to score to tie the game.

Del Rio took responsibility for the call on Sunday, adding, "The execution and communication, what I was looking for and what we ended up doing didn't match up. But I talked to our team about being aggressive. I'm going to be aggressive. That one just backfired a little bit.''

Garrard said that Del Rio wanted him to know, "If it looks ugly, call timeout.''

But Garrard didn't get the message and called the play. To make matters worse, one of his linemen kicked the ball out of his hands and the Bills recovered.

SCOBEE STILL WITHOUT MISS

Josh Scobee, who made five field goals in the first four games, including the 59-yard game winner against Indianapolis last week, added five more from 40, 49, 34, 40 and 46 yards.

Scobee has yet to miss this year, though his 40-yard kick barely sailed inside the upright.

"It was the weirdest thing. I kind of hit the ground behind the ball a little bit,'' Scobee said. "It was going down the middle, then it tails right real good, then tails back left at the last second to go two feet inside the right upright. I was thankful that one went in. That would be a members bounce right there [on the golf course],'' he said.

Scobee's five field goals tied a franchise record and his holder, punter Adam Podlesh, didn't punt for the second time this season. He also didn't punt in San Diego.

DEFER STRATEGY EXECUTED

The Jaguars, who've given up scores at the end of the first half several times this year, tied the game at 13 with a touchdown of their own at the end of the second quarter, and then took the second-half kickoff and scored again.

"When you do defer to the second half, you hope to do exactly what we did. Score to close out the half and then get the ball and score to open the [second] half. There's a momentum swing there,'' Del Rio said.

That's why, depending on the opponent, he likes to defer.

"I don't want Peyton [Manning] to have the ball first,'' Del Rio said.

The Colts won the toss last week, elected to receive and scored on their first drive, so Del Rio didn't have the option.

FIRST ACTION FOR MANUWAI

Guard Vince Manuwai played for the first time this year because Justin Smiley had a nagging foot injury and came out of the game.

"It felt great being in action but I kind of got a little gassed,'' Manuwai said. "Hopefully, I did what I was supposed to do.''

JONES-DREW HURT, RETURNS

Maurice Jones-Drew left the game in the second half with a wrist injury, but returned.

"It scared me,'' Del Rio said. "I ran out there and he was in pain and he doesn't usually say much. He's very tough. I was concerned, but whatever was going on subsided and he wanted to go back in.''

Jones-Drew usually downplays his injuries, and when was asked what it was, said: "I don't know. It's been a tough season with injuries so far and just trying to stay healthy. ''

ETC.

The Bills dropped to 0-5 and have allowed more than 30 points four games in a row for the first time in franchise history. ... The Jaguars improved to 33-72 when trailing after the first quarter. ... DE Derrick Harvey, who started the game but was rotated with Jeremy Mincey, had two tackles, half a sack and a QB hit. ... DE Aaron Kampman, who was blanked the last three games after getting 1.5 sacks in the opener, had 1.5 again against the Bills.

vito.stellino@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4279