ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (Nov. 18, 2005) -- J.P. Losman will start for the Buffalo Bills against San Diego after Kelly Holcomb missed his third straight practice since getting a concussion.
Coach Mike Mularkey said that he expected Holcomb to be medically cleared for the game, but wasn't sure if he would serve as Losman's backup or be relegated to No. 3 status.
"To be on the safe side, we'd probably look at him being No. 3 as we speak," Mularkey said.
Holcomb was hurt when he was sacked and fumbled in the second quarter of Buffalo's 14-3 win against Kansas City.
It was Holcomb's fifth consecutive start since replacing Losman, who struggled in opening the season at 1-3.
Losman took over and engineered scoring drives on two of his first four possessions -- hitting Lee Evans for two touchdown passes.
Losman, who took a majority of the snaps in practice this week, declined to make himself available to reporters Nov. 18.
For Losman, the game at San Diego is as close to a homecoming as it gets for the native of Venice, Calif.
He has about 450 friends and family making the trip south for the game at San Diego.
Losman expressed excitement earlier this week about the trip, but cautioned he's focused on doing his job.
"Of course it's a storybook. I would love to go and perform in front of the family members and for our team to get a victory," he said. "But I just can't let it be a distraction. ... I have a business task at hand to accomplish."
