A new dose of Mularkey in Buffalo

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Mike Mularkey was hired as coach of the Buffalo Bills Wednesday, his first head coaching job after 10 years as an assistant.\nMularkey, who spent the last three seasons as the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive coordinator, replaces Gregg Williams, fired after a disappointing 6-10 season.\nMularkey has ties to Bills' president and general manager, Tom Donahoe dating to 1996, when the Steelers, with Donahoe in the front office, hired Mularkey to be their tight ends coach.\nUnder Mularkey, the Steelers' offense ranked in the top five for two of the last three seasons. The Steelers slipped to 22nd this season.\nAfter having one of the best offenses in 2002, the Bills ranked 30th this season.\nBuffalo finished 3-13 and 8-8 in Williams' first two seasons.\nMularkey becomes the 13th coach in the team's history.\nIn Mularkey's first season as offensive coordinator, the Steelers advanced to the AFC championship game, where they lost 24-17 to the New England Patriots. In that game, the Patriots were led by current Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who replaced the injured Tom Brady in the second quarter.\nOne of Mularkey's challenges will be to try to improve the Bills' inept offense.\nThis season, Buffalo had 4,348 yards in offense, seven better than the franchise-low, and managed 243 points, the second-fewest in a 16-game season. The Bills also went seven games without scoring a touchdown.\nBledsoe threw for just 11 touchdowns -- his fewest since the 2001 season when he played in just two games.\nMost of the blame fell on the offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, who handled the play calling.\nMularkey replaced Gilbride in Pittsburgh. No decision has been announced on whether Gilbride will remain on the staff.\nOthers who interviewed for the Bills' head coaching position -- former Giants coach Jim Fassel, former Bears coach Dick Jauron, current Bills defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.