‘I’m not sure what Cottrell has to do to get respect in the sport. A year ago, his defense finished No. 1 in the league. It allowed the fewest yards by an AFC team in 21 years. And yet, half a dozen head coaching jobs came open without him getting so much as a sniff. During the offseason, the Bills lost four defensive starters. Experts assumed an inevitable drop-off. One national publication predicted they’d be the 16th-best defense this year. Then, in Sunday night’s opener, Cottrell and his staff turned in another defensive gem. They wiped the floor with Tennessee’s new offensive staff and left Buffalo fans wondering if this year’s defense might actually be better than last year’s version. "Ted was really in touch with what they were doing," said Chuck Lester, the Bills’ linebackers coach. "He was able to anticipate and makes the calls – bang, bang, bang, bang."’