I’ve dreaded having to write this one ever since I started with these previews, but the time has come to (sigh) talk about the Buffalo Bills. Going into this year, the talk surrounding the Bills is whether new head coach Chan Gailey can avoid lift them past the expectations of being the worst team in football.
Gailey was brought in for his expertise with quarterbacks and his first order of business will be to figure out who the starting quarterback is. Will it be Trent Edwards like it has been the last couple of seasons, Ryan Fitzpatrick or Brian Brohm? Either way, all three represent talent levels that are closer to backups than starters. How does Gailey elevate one of these guys to become consistent starters?
Even if he finds a guy to emerge as a competent starter, Gailey has to know that he’s thin for options at the wide receiver and tight end positions. Terrell Owens is now in Cincinnati and the Bills are left to put all their eggs in the basket of Lee Evans. Evans is a talented receiver, but it seems hardly fair that he might have to do all the work every single week.
The saving grace for this team might be at the running back spot where they have a good amount of depth. Fred Jackson is pencilled in as the starter right now, but first-round pick CJ Spiller should take the spot away. Whatever the order is, they make a good 1-2 combo and if either one of them get hurt, Marshawn Lynch might be the best third-stringer in the NFL. However, all the talent in the world might not do them any good as they need to rely on an inexperienced and under-talented offensive line to open up holes for them.
The strength of this team lies in the defense, especially with the cornerbacks and safeties. People will be shocked to find out that the Bills were 2nd in the league in passing yards against per game last year because of great depth in the secondary. They were also top 5 in the league in takeaways. Their safety tandem of Donte Whitner and Jairus Byrd might be the most under-rated tandem in the league.
Where they ran into trouble was with the run defence. They were third worst in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game. Injuries had a lot to do with that, but it’s something that I’m sure that has been addressed time and time again. The loss of Aaron Schobel will be tough to swallow on the defensive line, but that means guys like Marcus Stroud and Kyle Williams have to step up.
Two guys to watch out for in camp are Marshawn Lynch and Jairus Byrd. Lynch finds himself third on the depth chart mainly because of repeated troubles with authorities. But we’re still talking about someone who gained over 1000 yards in his first two years of the league. Can he find that form and possibly make the Bills running game a three-headed monster? As for Byrd, all the 2nd year man did last season for his rookie year was pick the ball off 9 times. What does he do for an encore?
2010 Prediction: 4-12