The Buffalo Bills' internal leadership is being put to a test by the team's poor performance.

It's a concern for the Bills because the roster is so young, and the team does not have many marquee veterans with forceful personalities.

The Bills say the fact they are sticking together through their 1-4 start is proof that the team has enough leadership to weather its current storm.

"I think we do have enough leadership on this team and I think a good sign of it is being able to stay together through times like this," said receiver Lee Evans. "It'd be easy for guys to peel off and do different things. But guys are really into what we're doing, what we've got, and trying to make it work."

With 11 games still remaining and a tough game ahead Sunday against the New York Jets, the Bills' leadership challenge looks difficult.

Bills great Andre Reed says the current team needs its veterans to hold all the players accountable.

"The veteran leaders need to step up and take people aside and say, 'We need better than this,'" said Reed, in town last weekend to receive the team's distinguished service award. "'I need to do better. But I need you to do better, too. This is unacceptable.'"

In the Bills' glory days of the 1990s, there was an abundance of assertive veterans who took charge. Quarterback Jim Kelly, linebacker Darryl Talley and center Kent Hull, along with Thurman Thomas, Reed and others, often stepped forward to figuratively grab teammates by the lapels when the Bills had poor outings.

"We would have held a team meeting, kicked the coaches out of the room, and made it clear we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard," Reed said of the Bills' current plight. "The younger players need to understand this is not how we do things. You're relying on me. I'm relying on you."

The '90s Bills had the advantage of being stocked with talented veterans who had the credentials to back up their words.

Obviously, quarterback Trent Edwards, still trying to prove himself, is not in a position to read the riot act like Kelly could. Terrell Owens is vocal and has the credentials, but he's new to the team and doing his best to avoid controversy. Past Pro Bowlers Aaron Schobel and Terrence McGee lead by example but are low-key by nature.

The Bills have the 10th-youngest roster in the league, based on opening day lineups.

Still, the Bills' players maintain the correct message is getting through.

"I believe Lee does a good job of being vocal, and George Wilson," said punter Brian Moorman, the second-longest tenured veteran on the team. "Chris Kelsay does a good job of being vocal. Terrell [Owens] has spoken up. Donte [Whitner] does a good job of speaking up. We definitely have good leaders we can lean on and bring this thing back to where we need it to be."

"You've got a proven vet in every position who can show guys by example how to prepare on the practice field, in the meeting field, how to carry over the practice field to the game," said Wilson. "It's a matter of guys being receptive to the information and applying it."

"I think we have a lot of different people who lead in different ways," Evans said. "If you look at Terrell, he's animated and he's fired up. He's always talking. Then guys on special teams like George are guys who can just talk a lot; very vocal. But different guys lead in different ways, and I think that the bottom line is just for everybody to be on the same page working together."

Kelly had the ability to make teammates feel uncomfortable about underperforming, when he saw the need to apply pressure.

The Bills probably are not getting that kind of feeling from coach Dick Jauron. It's not his style.

Until the Bills turn it around, they are open to the criticism that they are too reflective of Jauron's low-key demeanor.

Moorman said Jauron is making sure players pull together.

"If you start to have finger-pointing, you're not going to get anywhere and you're never going to turn it around," Moorman said.

Wilson said Jauron struck the right chord this week.

"Nobody stepped up and tried to call a meeting, and this is the reason why I think it didn't happen," Wilson said. "In the team meeting, coach Jauron pretty much addressed everything as far as corrections, penalties, turnovers, and he set the tone for us when we broke down into individual meetings to watch film. ... What he said was right on target, so there was no need to have a players meeting. Everything that needed to be said had been said by Coach. When he needs to change his tone and change his delivery, he can do it. We've seen it. ... For the most part, coach Jauron is even keeled. Last year when we were 4-1, he was the same way he is now when we're 1-4."

"I think through the adversity we're facing right now I'm starting to see guys speak up a little more and try to pull this thing together," Moorman said. "I'm seeing more guys be vocal in practice, trying to get a little more energy out there and make sure guys realize everybody is behind everybody else. That's the only way you can really do it."