This years offense

[Stewie]

I believe our offense is going to surprise people this year. No, I don't think it will be prolific. But I do think it will be better than consensus opinion. Here's my reasoning:

1. The Bills have the talent to create match-up problems. If either Johnson or Hardy can step up and play competently, Buffalo has enough speed and quickness to dictate to the defense. A lineup including Spiller + Lynch/FJ/TE/FB along with Evans, Parrish and Johnson/Hardy/TE would provide plenty of formation and flexibility to run multiple sets.

And yes I see the glaring hole that I don't have a good name for said TE, but like I said, the offense isn't going to be prolific.

2. The running game could really get rolling. Last years run blocking was not as horrible as it was made out to be. Lynch did not play with any passion. Fred Jackson gained 1000 yards on a terrible team. Fred Jackson. I love the guy, but he isn't a starter for 75% of the league. We have the most running back depth in at least a decade. Lynch, if he has an ounce of intelligence in his body, will be playing for his next contract, and we all know what Jackson can do and what CJ is capable of.

3. The carping over the preparedness of the offensive line is way overblown. It's the pre-season, we have nothing else to talk about, so I expect some fuss. Yes, there have been changes. But how long has it been since we've had continuity in the OL? The more things change the more they stay the same. True, we don't have a known top flight LT. Or maybe he's already on our roster. But all of the guys out there are NFL caliber players. It's not like we're replacing a high school kid with a 6th grader on the sandlot, which is how many people make it out to be.

4. Trent Edwards is going to win the starting job and play well. I believe that Chan will effectively be able to use Trent without having to burden him too much. The running game will help. He doesn't need to win game, be a long baller. He needs to be smart and move the chains, and hand the ball off to a three headed monster.

[Romes]

Nice to read an opinion on why we will be something other than crappy...

good post :up:

[jamesiscool]

do i feel like we have reason for optimism? of course. we have the most talented player in college football on out roster. do i feel like chan has the tools to make the most out of a bad situation, yes. but lets not kid ourselves. we are in rebuilding for yet again another year, i feel like since the first time in ten years we are headed in the right direction on overall depth and talent. but we arent there, who is going be our 2nd read wr? hardy? johnson? easley? parrish? bull. i consider myself a homer and a realist. these guys are scrubs on 50% of the teams in the NFL. ps. our qb's couldnt make it in the UFL CFL or another "pro" league on the continent.

I understand buffalo is an underdog city and always roots for the little guy but truthfully our offense will be anemic at best and this isnt impressive... but our D will be the better squad merely based on our DB depth alone.

This post has been paid for by PBR and crown royal. post responsibly.

[jamze132]

I agree that our offense probably won't be as bad as last year or as bad as most would have you believe, but its not going to be playoff good enough, therefore it will suck.

[better days]

I am more worried about the defense than the offense myself. I think Chan will Coach the offense up enough to put more points on the board than we have seen since Jauron was hired.

Switching to the 3-4 though will probably cause a few problems on Defense. Do the Bills have even one person capable of getting to the QB on a regular basis?

[Mahdi]

I think our RBs, OL and WRs will be solid but our QBs will keep this offense from being good.

Trent is simply not a complete QB.

[Pinkerton Security]

I agree. However, its tough to be much worse passing-wise than last year. It was pathetic.

[justasportsfan]

Simply put, I don't think it can get any worse than what we had under Dick.

[THRILLHO]

I think our O-line will be 10 times better by simply staying healthy...

[Johnny Bugmenot]

It'll surprise me.

Contrary to your opinion, I wouldn't want Demetrius Bell, the current starter, as an LT on any pro team with all the penalties he draws. He's a one-man drive killer. I'll give Jamon Meredith a chance, but Bell has to go, and Meredith needs to improve a lot to win me over. The rest of the line leaves quite a bit to be desired, but is not as glaring. Can Wood recover from his injury? Will Levitre improve (a lot depends on who's next to him as well)? How will Cornell Green respond to his new home?

RB, obviously, will be fine, but we shouldn't depend solely on the position for offense.

The QB situation is worth watching. If Brian Brohm can find the spark he had in prep school and college and becomes the starter, then this team has a chance. As for Edwards... he's treading dangerously close to "damaged goods" status. If he can't get back to the point he was the first few games he was here, then he needs to go. Fitzpatrick is a career backup and nothing more, and Levi Brown will be lucky to make the team at all.

The WR situation is a wild card as well. We know what we have with Evans, but can James Hardy finally develop into the threat possession receiver he was drafted to be? As usual, the team has a deep pool of shallow talent and cobbling enough together will be a challenge. The TE position should be fine-- it hasn't been a problem for years and it won't be a problem now. It's one of the few positions this team has successfully and consistently developed from within.

Staying healthy, of course, is going to be key. While the skill positions of RB and WR are consistently deep, the O-line is paper thin. Kirk Chambers has proven to be a solid backup but beyond that...?

All in all, it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility to have a surprise, but I'm not getting my hopes up. This team's offense has far more questions than answers, and though that leaves room for answers, they have to answer them. (Pardon the Yogi Berra.) The left side of the OL is a huge question mark and will be the Achilles heel if it doesn't exceed expectations.

[justasportsfan]

the thing I am hoping for is that under Chan , defenses won't know whats going on before the snap. We won't be so predictable. We will finally see a play action fro the qb position.

[DraftBoy]

I think we can create matchup issues if we use our players the right way. Parrish should be our starting slot guy and a Wildcat QB.

Spiller should be split out as well as Nelson at times.

Hardy needs to go in on red-zone plays even if only as a decoy.

The big issues offensively will be the two OT's, a #2 WR, and can any QB emerge with any kind of consistency?

[trapezeus]

the thing I am hoping for is that under Chan , defenses won't know whats going on before the snap. We won't be so predictable. We will finally see a play action fro the qb position.

maybe we even have a WR run in motion and then not have a running play in that direction.

small wishes, i guess.

[Ron Burgundy]

1. The Bills have the talent to create match-up problems.

Is that you, Jaworski?

[Dr. Lecter]

Is that you, Jaworski?


It is true though.

Matching up a disabled person in a wheelchair on any of the OTs is a match-up problem!

[OpIv37]

I believe our offense is going to surprise people this year. No, I don't think it will be prolific. But I do think it will be better than consensus opinion. Here's my reasoning:

1. The Bills have the talent to create match-up problems. If either Johnson or Hardy can step up and play competently, Buffalo has enough speed and quickness to dictate to the defense. A lineup including Spiller + Lynch/FJ/TE/FB along with Evans, Parrish and Johnson/Hardy/TE would provide plenty of formation and flexibility to run multiple sets.

And yes I see the glaring hole that I don't have a good name for said TE, but like I said, the offense isn't going to be prolific.

2. The running game could really get rolling. Last years run blocking was not as horrible as it was made out to be. Lynch did not play with any passion. Fred Jackson gained 1000 yards on a terrible team. Fred Jackson. I love the guy, but he isn't a starter for 75% of the league. We have the most running back depth in at least a decade. Lynch, if he has an ounce of intelligence in his body, will be playing for his next contract, and we all know what Jackson can do and what CJ is capable of.

3. The carping over the preparedness of the offensive line is way overblown. It's the pre-season, we have nothing else to talk about, so I expect some fuss. Yes, there have been changes. But how long has it been since we've had continuity in the OL? The more things change the more they stay the same. True, we don't have a known top flight LT. Or maybe he's already on our roster. But all of the guys out there are NFL caliber players. It's not like we're replacing a high school kid with a 6th grader on the sandlot, which is how many people make it out to be.

4. Trent Edwards is going to win the starting job and play well. I believe that Chan will effectively be able to use Trent without having to burden him too much. The running game will help. He doesn't need to win game, be a long baller. He needs to be smart and move the chains, and hand the ball off to a three headed monster.

I am tempted to write a point-by-point rebuttal of this, but I'm so sick of hearing the "Why do you have to trash every positive post on this board?," so, instead I will just point out some food for thought:

There are a lot of "ifs" in there, and a lot of counting on players to do things that they have yet to prove they can do. Is it possible that all those things work out in Buffalo's favor? Sure- in fact, it's almost assured that some of them will. But is it likely that enough of them will work out in our favor for the team to be successful? IMO, hell no.

[ServoBillieves]

Does anyone remember Schouman's emergance before injury last season? (yes, one and a half games, but 103 yards no 9 catches) I honestly believe he can be the safety valve if healthy that Trent needs...

[trapezeus]

Does anyone remember Schouman's emergance before injury last season? (yes, one and a half games, but 103 yards no 9 catches) I honestly believe he can be the safety valve if healthy that Trent needs...

if shouman stays healthy or if trent stays healthy or both?

i guess both by default, but i think injury risk is higher with trent at this point. it's almost like mike tyson's punchout...the first time you go down, you take the biggest beating, the second time, the bar doesn't reset, and the 3rd time its' pretty much over.

Trent hasn't lasted a full season yet. the bar is still pretty full and its the start of the season.

[Mr. Pink]

I am tempted to write a point-by-point rebuttal of this, but I'm so sick of hearing the "Why do you have to trash every positive post on this board?," so, instead I will just point out some food for thought:

There are a lot of "ifs" in there, and a lot of counting on players to do things that they have yet to prove they can do. Is it possible that all those things work out in Buffalo's favor? Sure- in fact, it's almost assured that some of them will. But is it likely that enough of them will work out in our favor for the team to be successful? IMO, hell no.


I got this!

1. The Bills have talent to create matchup problems? If you have no QB and no OL to protect him, it doesn't matter what else you have. If the QB can't get the ball into the hands of the playmakers, what good are the playmakers? This is assuming we have any to begin with.

2. We do have quality running backs, one who is underappreciated, a second who has the mentality and maturity of a 12 year old and a guy who may be electrifying or the next coming of Eric Metcalf. And hell, an Eric Metcalf clone wouldn't be all that bad to be honest.

3. What's the point in continuity in a group of guys who simply are obviously overmatched? The interior of the line is OK, but we have no quality NFL tackles. Without tackles, a guy like Spiller is wasted on this team, he'll do most of his damage on sweeps, offtackles and tosses. When there isn't a tackle worth a damn on either side, you completely negate Spillers' best chance at impact.

4. Trent Edwards will win the job but not because he's good. It's just that he's the least terrible guy we have. He is clearly not the same QB he was before the Adrian Wilson hit, not that he was great then either. But he went from a game manager to a deer in the headlights.

[YardRat]

I think we can create matchup issues if we use our players the right way. Parrish should be our starting slot guy and a Wildcat QB.

Spiller should be split out as well as Nelson at times.

Hardy needs to go in on red-zone plays even if only as a decoy.

The big issues offensively will be the two OT's, a #2 WR, and can any QB emerge with any kind of consistency?

IMO Parrish would just look foolish as a Wildcat QB. If he gets the nod in those situations over Jackson or Spiller, something is really wrong.

[SABURZFAN]

the offense has a major eye sore at LT and a ton of questions at QB. nothing else really stands out. but when you look at the last couple of years of being ranked in the 30's, do you think it can get any worse?