ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills promoted coordinator Perry Fewell to take over as interim head coach after Dick Jauron was fired yesterday.

Bills owner Ralph Wilson prompted the shakeup, which caught Fewell and several players by surprise. The move came during the players' day off and after Buffalo fell further out of contention with a 41-17 loss at Tennessee on Sunday.

"We are who we are," Fewell said, adding he'll wait until today to announce whether quarterback Trent Edwards or backup Ryan Fitzpatrick will start this weekend. "We have that identity. We're going to try to give a little spark, but we are who we are."

Fewell is in his fourth season as the team's defensive coordinator and 12th in the NFL. His background is primarily defense.

Fewell is the team's fifth head coach since Wade Phillips was fired after the 2000 season, and the team's first black head coach.

Wilson credited Fewell for having done "a great job with our defense."

"I really don't have anything to say," was all Jauron would say when reached on his cell phone by Associated Press.

ELSEWHERE

Bengals: Cincinnati signed running back Larry Johnson as a backup, giving the AFC North leaders depth at that position. The Bengals waived defensive tackle Orien Harris yesterday to open a roster spot for Johnson, who will be fourth on the depth chart at the outset.

Chiefs: Kansas City's third-year wide receiver Dwayne Bowe was suspended without pay for four games yesterday for violating the NFL's policy against performance-enhancing substances. Neither the Chiefs nor the league would make further comment and Bowe's agent, Todd France, did not return calls seeking comment.