ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -J.P. Losman can stop looking over his shoulder. He's won the right to be the Buffalo Bills starting quarterback beyond this year.

Citing Losman's improved performance as this season progressed, coach Dick Jauron said Thursday he intends to keep Losman as the team's starter going into next year.

``He's earned it,'' Jauron told The Associated Press. ``Nothing's been handed to him. He's done it the hard way. And I really believe he'll keep working if not as hard, but harder. I think it's important to him. It's important to all of us.''

While Jauron has backed Losman throughout this season, his statements Thursday were the most definitive on the quarterback's long-term status. They come with three games left in Buffalo's season and after Losman helped the Bills win four of their past six to improve to 6-7 heading into their game against Miami on Sunday.

For Losman, it's a flip from last season when he went 1-7 as a first-year starter and twice lost his job to journeyman Kelly Holcomb. Losman didn't regain the No. 1 role until August after winning a three-way competition to beat out Holcomb and former Green Bay third-stringer Craig Nall.

The competition was Jauron's idea after he took over as head coach in January.

``We're really pleased with what he's done to this point, and he knows and we know, he's got a long ways to go and we've got a long ways to go,'' Jauron said. ``But we're working at it and going in the right direction.''

Losman, the second of Buffalo's two 2004 first-round picks, was pleased to learn of Jauron's faith in him.

``It's a little exciting. It makes you want to work even harder and study a little bit more to prove him right,'' Losman said. ``But at the same time, either way, I've got my own expectations and goals that I'm setting for myself.''

After an inconsistent start, Losman has improved steadily since the Bills bye in Week 8.

He orchestrated late game-winning drives in consecutive victories at Houston and against Jacksonville. The back-to-back wins were Buffalo's first since October 2005.

He also had a career high 340 yards passing in the 24-21 win over the Texans, which included two 83-yard touchdown passes to Lee Evans.

Losman has also been considerably more efficient in the second half. After throwing six touchdowns passes and six interceptions in his first seven games, Losman's had eight TDs and four interceptions in his past six outings.

He ranks 12th among NFL quarterbacks with an 84.8 passer efficiency rating - 20 points higher than where he finished last season. And he ranks 10th with a 63.2 completion percentage, a big improvement over last year, when he failed to complete half of his attempts and finished 34th in the league.

Evans welcomed the news.

``I think it's great. I think it lets you go into the offseason with a mind-set of peace,'' Evans said. ``I'm glad that Dick said that, but I wouldn't see why he wouldn't. I think (Losman's) done a lot and he's only getting better. The success we're having on offense, he's engineered.''

The Bills quarterback situation has been in upheaval ever since Hall-of-Famer Jim Kelly retired after the 1996 season. Since then, the Bills have gone through seven starters, including Losman, with Drew Bledsoe holding the job the longest - three consecutive years - before he was released after the 2004 season.

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