Published: September 24, 2006 12:14 am      

BILLS: London's calling

Linebacker acts like a coach on the field for rookies

ORCHARD PARK — London Fletcher was asked this week to evaluate his performance through the first two games of the season.

“I really don’t assess my performance,” the Buffalo Bills middle linebacker said. “I let you (the media) do that. Y’all seem to do a good job of it.”

Thanks, London.

As far as his performance goes, Fletcher has been steady as always. He leads the Bills in tackles with 24 through two games, including 13 solo stops and three tackles for loss.

“He brings leadership to the middle,” Bills coach Dick Jauron said. “He’s the signal caller. He makes the adjustments.”

There’s been plenty of changes to make in 2006. For starters, the Bills have played just two games in defensive coordinator Perry Fewell’s version of the Tampa-2 scheme. The team is also using five rookies on defense, meaning Fletcher has spent extra time before each snap to make sure each player is lined up in the right spot.

“I spend a lot of time doing that anyway,” he said of the job. “Just making sure guys are in the right position, knowing where to line up. Especially in the back end, because it’s so critical to make sure the team is aligned formation-wise. Because if you’re not in the right place, from a coverage standpoint, then those mistakes can result in points.”

Change has been a constant for both Fletcher and the Bills since the end of 2005. For the team, it came in the form of a new general manager, coaching staff and the above-mentioned rookies on defense. For Fletcher, it came in the form of heartbreak, then a new beginning, and finally, a new name.

In early June, Fletcher was preparing for his wedding when he received word that his mother, Linda, had suffered a fatal heart attack. A deeply religious man, Fletcher enrolled in theology classes after his mother’s death. He hopes to one day become an ordained minister.

He’s also now listed on the roster as London Fletcher-Baker. After getting married in June, he took the name in honor of his father and grandfather, as he’s the last male in the family.

But while the name is new, the game is the same. Since joining the Bills in 2002 as a free agent from St. Louis, Fletcher has led the team in tackles every season, including a franchise-record 209 in 2002. Last season, he finished third in the NFL with 157 tackles, according to stats on NFL.com.

He also took on more of a leadership role after fellow linebacker Takeo Spikes went down with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon last season. Fletcher said that’s part of his job.

“It just comes with the territory. … Being a middle linebacker,” he said.

Spikes has also missed most of this season with a hamstring injury, so Fletcher again has been the veteran leader. The loss of veteran safety Troy Vincent to injured reserve solidified that spot even more for No. 59.

It’s been more than just the rookies that Fletcher has assisted, according to Jauron.

“I think he helps everybody,” the coach said. “Everybody has a great deal of confidence in him.”

Contact Jay Skurski at 693-1000, Ext. 117.