Reviewing teams in the NFL: The Buffalo Bills
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by Silencer76
Well, it is that time of year when fans everywhere get ramped up for the start of the NFL season. I am no different, and I plan on reviewing each division over the next couple weeks, to give a more detailed look at each club instead of a brief glance over. So where better to start then with a team I know like the back of my hand, the Buffalo Bills.
BUFFALO BILLS (7-9 in 2006): The Bills are a team that easily could have been 10-6 or 11-5, as they lost 5 games by 3 points or fewer in 2006. However, that was a different Buffalo ball club. There are quite a few personnel changes to be discussed, and how the new players plug in will determine what the Bills do in 2007 under Dick Jauron.
KEY ADDITIONS: RB Marshawn Lynch (12th overall pick, California), RB Dwayne Wright (draft, Fresno State), RT Langston Walker (FA, Oakland), LG Derrick Dockery (FA, Washington), MLB Paul Posluszny (draft, Penn State), CB Jason Webster (FA, Cleveland)
KEY DEFECTIONS: RB Willis McGahee (traded to Baltimore), LB London Fletcher-Baker (FA, Washington), QB Kelly Holcomb (traded to Philadelphia), LB Takeo Spikes (traded to Philadelphia), CB Nate Clements (FA, San Francisco)
OFFENSE: The Bills will go as far as J.P. Losman's maturation as a QB will take them. Losman had a decent season last year, hitting on 62.5 percent of his throws for 3051 yards, 19 TD passes and 14 picks. With McGahee gone, Buffalo will have to look for other ways to move the chains, and rookie Marshawn Lynch, an explosive back in college, will have every opportunity to win the starting role. The A-Train, Anthony Thomas (107 carries, 378 yards, 2 TDs) is the club's leading returning rusher, and will battle for time as well.
At the WR spot, the Bills have one of the most explosive weapons in the league in Lee Evans. Evans led the league in deep/bomb yards and TDs, and overall recorded 82 catches for 1292 yards and 8 TD receptions. What Buffalo needs is for a WR to step up and be a competent #2 threat to take some of the constant double coverage off Evans. That means either Peerless Price (49 catches, 402 yards, 3 TDs), Josh Reed (34, 410, 2) or Roscoe Parrish (23, 320, 2) have to seriously upgrade their game to help the Bills.
DEFENSE: Clements is gone, but surprisingly, that may be the defection that hurts Buffalo the least. They have been cultivating a young secondary from within, and with second year safeties Donte Whitner and Ko Simpson patrolling the back line, Terrence McGee on one side, and either Jason Webster or Kiwaukee Thomas on the other, the Bills pass defense should be fairly solid.
Where the Bills suffered last year was in the run defense department. They were gashed repeatedly, giving up 4.7 yards per carry. They gave up nearly 140 yards a game on the ground, which led to the nearly 4 minute differential in time of possession that very well may have cost them some of those close games. With another year under their belts, linebackers Angelo Crowell and Keith Ellison should be better, and if Posluszny can remind Bills fans of a former Penn State linebacker, Shane Conlan, the Bills defense should be able to make more plays.
The pass rush was decent last season, led by DE Aaron Schobel (53 tackles, 14 sacks). Chris Kelsay needs to get to the QB more from the other side (5.5 sacks) and the DT duo of Larry Tripplett (33 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and Kyle Williams (53 tackles) have to avoid getting blown out of the middle as much as they did last season. The Bills need a run stuffing DT like they had in previous years with Pat Williams and Ted Washington, but those are hard to come by. John McCargo is coming off an injury shortened rookie season, and hopes to make an impact.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Probably the most effective part of the Buffalo team last season. K Rian Lindell hit on 23 of 25 FG attempts, missing twice from between 40 and 49 yards. Punter Brian Moorman made the Pro Bowl, averaging 43.6 yards per punt, with a net of 39.2 and dropping 33 punts inside the 20.
Terrance McGee averaged 26.1 yards per kick return, with an 88 yarder, and Roscoe Parrish netted 11.4 yards per punt return, including an 82 yard scamper for a TD.
Buffalo's kick coverage was among the best in the league as well, allowing just 21.3 yards per kick return, and 7.4 yards per punt return, which was helped as well by Moorman inducing 20 fair catches.
OUTLOOK: Seeing how this club had the potential to make the playoffs a season ago had the defense not been burned out, if Losman continues to develop, Lynch makes fans forgot about McGahee, and the defense stabilizes, I see this club going 9-7. They won't make the playoffs in all likelihood, but it is a step in the right direction. Perhaps 08 will be a return to the postseason.
