the brink of extending the NFLs longest active playoff drought t

ORCHARD PARK, N. Buccaneers #97 Jersey .Y. -- Bills coach Doug Marrone is maintaining his faith and patience in EJ Manuel despite the rookie quarterbacks latest dud. "He has the ability to do it," Marrone said Monday. "Theres no doubt in my mind." That doesnt mean Marrone is anywhere close to being satisfied with Manuels development, and the lack of consistency the first-round pick out of Florida State has shown in failing to string together one good outing after another. "Do I want to be standing here today having to go through these pains of whats going on? Absolutely not," he said. "But Ive learned over the years that this is the stuff you go through. And you have to just put your head down and just keep working." Manuels performance is under the microscope a day after a 27-6 loss at Tampa Bay that pushed the Bills (4-9) to the brink of extending the NFLs longest active playoff drought to 14 consecutive seasons. In dropping to 3-6 on the season, and 0-4 on the road, Manuel went 18 of 33 for 184 yards while throwing four interceptions to double his season total. He led an offence that managed a season-low 214 yards, converted just one of 11 third-down opportunities and crossed midfield just three times. "He did not play well," Marrone said. And yet when it came to laying blame, the coach noted there was plenty to go around in a game where very little went right for a young team showing signs of regressing in having lost seven of nine. "Hey, if everything was going well around him and he was the culprit, it would be easy for me to say wed go ahead and pull him and put another quarterback in there. I dont have any problem with that," Marrone said. "But at the end of the day, we need to make sure that people around him are doing what theyre supposed to do." Two of Manuels interceptions came on passes that glanced off receivers hands. Protection was an issue, with Manuel being sacked seven times. The running game -- usually the Bills strength -- was relatively non-existent in managing a season-low 67 yards and led by Manuel, who scrambled five times for 29 yards. And penalties were an issue, with Buffalo being flagged 11 times for 114 yards. That included an offensive holding penalty against rookie receiver Robert Woods, which negated C.J. Spillers 83-yard touchdown catch early in the third quarter. The Bills defence was inconsistent, too. Buffalo limited the Buccaneers to two field goals off five turnovers and held them to 28 yards offence in the second half. The damage, however, was done in the first half, when the Bills gave up two lengthy scores, starting with Bobby Raineys 80-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage. Add it up and Buffalo, which travels to play Jacksonville (4-9) on Sunday, is assured of finishing its ninth straight season without a winning record. "We will get this thing turned around," running back Fred Jackson said. He then paused, before adding: "Im sure people are sick of us saying that." Frustration is beginning to set in a day after the Bills veteran leaders were given the opportunity to voice their concerns during a closed-door, 25-minute meeting immediately following the loss. Centre Eric Wood, on Monday, said the Bills need to "grow up" if they want to make the transformation from losers to winners. "Just a couple of weeks ago, we were saying were not far off from where we want to be as a team, and then you go and lay an egg like yesterday, and you feel like youre starting over at Square 1," Wood said. "Were not. We have good players on this team. Weve just got to do some growing up." Defensive tackle Kyle Williams said player accountability is a concern. "I think you look at where we stand right now, you can question everything," Williams said. "Everythings a red flag. Everythings discouraging right now. But we have to get guys, all of us, to respond and respond better." Akeem Spence Buccaneers Jersey .S. Open, which stuck with its policy of following the rankings instead of taking into account players past performances. Dashon Goldson Buccaneers Jersey . -- Sebastien Auger stopped 53 shots for his second shutout of the season as the Saint John Sea Dogs blanked the host Val-dOr Foreurs 2-0 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. NEW YORK -- Paul George and the Pacers were down and just about out, seconds away from consecutive losses. Once a late foul call gave him a chance to tie it, he wasnt letting Indiana lose it in overtime. "I wanted to attack," he said. George made three throws to tie it with 5.2 seconds left in regulation, then scored nine of his season-high 35 points in the extra period as Indiana pulled out a 103-96 victory Wednesday night over the New York Knicks, who dropped their sixth straight at home. New York scored the first 13 points, but this settled into a playoff-type game between teams that met in the post-season last May. And it again went to the Pacers, who bounced back from their first loss after a franchise-record 9-0 start. "Heck of a win for our guys," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. "A grind-it-out kind of game. Thats sometimes when were at our best. The offence wasnt really flowing but our defence really buckled down." George Hill added 23 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who beat the Knicks in six games in last seasons Eastern Conference semifinals. Just as in the clincher of that series, Roy Hibbert had a pivotal block on Carmelo Anthonys drive to the basket. Anthony had 30 points and a season-high 18 rebounds for the Knicks, who looked completely deflated after they couldnt score following the free throws George made when Iman Shumpert was called for fouling him. George then put away the Knicks in overtime, keeping them winless at home since beating Milwaukee on Oct. 30 in their season opener. "I thought we had the game won," Anthony said. "And in overtime, I dont know, they just walked away with it." J.R. Smith had 21 points, and Beno Udrih scored a season-high 19 for the Knicks, including a go-ahead shot with 1:21 left in regulation when he appeared to just throw it at the rim when Anthony couldnt get free. The Knicks protected the lead through a couple of missed 3-pointers by Hill, and Anthony made two free throws for an 89-86 lead with 9.2 seconds left. Shumpert was then called for the foul on George, with replays showing what appeared to be perhaps just a slight touch to Georges arm. The All-Star sank the free throws, and Anthony missed on the other end, and Smith was off on a tip attempt. &quuot;It dont really matter what I think or what happened," Shumpert said. Buccaneers #32 Jersey. . "They called the foul." The stunned Knicks walked back to the bench as if they had just lost -- and pretty soon, they had. George followed Hibberts block with a 3-pointer, and answered Anthonys basket with four straight points to put the Pacers in control. Last seasons winner of the Most Improved Player award said he would have deferred in similar situations in the past. "I would have looked to have someone else to be in that position or that role," George said. "This year, this time around I want to be more aggressive." The Knicks were again without injured starters Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton. Amare Stoudemire also didnt play on the second night of the back-to-back. They now go on a four-game road trip, perhaps what they need with their inability to win on their home floor. George was two shy of his career high, bouncing back well from a season-low 12 points on 3-for-14 shooting in a 110-94 loss at Chicago that ended Indianas perfect start. The Knicks jumped to a 13-0 lead while Indiana missed its first seven shots. The Pacers were only 5 for 20 in the first quarter, but one of the makes was Hibberts ugly, banked 3-pointer that beat the buzzer and cut it to 19-14. New York was ahead 42-37 at the half and never trailed by more than four until overtime. The teams were evenly matched last season, only minutes from heading to a Game 7 until Hibberts sensational, momentum-shifting block on Anthonys dunk attempt late in Game 6. Indiana went on to force Miami to seven games in the East finals and is intent on doing better this season. As for the Knicks, they are 3-8, unable to match their strong start last season, certainly not able to keep pace with Indianas blistering start. This was a much better performance from the Knicks, who had been critical of their own effort and were coming off a loss in Detroit a night earlier, but not good enough. Notes: Metta World Peace returned, saying he had fluid drained from his left knee twice in recent weeks. ... Danny Granger is with the Pacers on their trip that concludes Friday at Boston, but Vogel said Granger is still experiencing soreness in his left calf and wont practice until that is gone. ' ' '