ORCHARD PARK - Seeing his team lose its third straight game last week against New England, injured Bills safety Donte Whitner was helpless as he slumped in his couch.

Watching Buffalo get dismantled while sitting at home nursing a separated shoulder, Whitner was dumbfounded with what had happened to a Buffalo team that had such spark and spunk while winning five of its first six games.

“It looked like everybody was straining and stressing and trying to make plays and compensate for what they think is missing instead of locking in and focusing on their individual job and having fun doing it,” Whitner said. “During the week is when we put our work in. The things we do in practice will transfer over to the football field on game day. So there's no need to stress and do all those things.”

Whitner hopes he can return from his one-game absence and be ready when Buffalo hosts the Cleveland Browns on Monday night. Though he's listed as questionable, Whitner is doing his best to play against his hometown team.

A native of Cleveland, Whitner has reserved more than 50 tickets for friends and family.

“It's up to the training staff and the doctors because you definitely don't want to put a guy out there who is going to hurt himself even more than what I'm hurt,” Whitner said. “So we'll see. It's up to those guys whether I play or not. And right now it is looking questionable. But I'm looking forward to getting out there.”

So are the Bills, who admittedly need their emotional leader back in their defensive secondary.

“It definitely means something to us. It makes us a little bit more comfortable,” linebacker Kawika Mitchell said. “Not saying anything about anybody else, but we just know what Donte can bring to the table.”

That's plenty of energy, enthusiasm and effort.

“He can do things that other guys can't,” middle linebacker Paul Posluszny said. “That's all there is to it. With him out there, we have the opportunity to make some big-time plays - interceptions, sacks - just because he's just that good of an athlete. He's that smart and that dedicated to the game.”

Whitner has been medically cleared to play against the Browns, but has been limited in practice this week. His ability to get on the field now depends on the risk of doing any more damage to his shoulder, as well as his pain tolerance.

But whether he dresses or not, Whitner insists he'll do whatever it takes to try to get the Bills out of a funk that has dropped them to 5-4 after starting 4-0.

“There were plays out there (against New England) where I felt guys made plays and you see two or three guys come up and congratulate him,” Whitner said. “When we make a play, everybody makes a play. We congratulate each other and show love on the football field. That's what we need to get back to. We need to get back to having fun, and that will start on Monday night.”