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Monday, August 8, 2016 | BataviasBest.org
Typically, each and every August as we gear up for another NFL season, I find myself searching for ways to convince myself that the Buffalo Bills will make the playoffs. I search high and low, picking apart the schedule, the roster, and the division, in order to discover ways in which this team can end the drought.
However, this season, my feelings towards the Bills are more synonymous with those of unfamiliarity and curiosity rather than the usual optimism and promise. Again, I would like to give a sure-fire endorsement of a team coming off of a relatively impressive slate a season ago, and would also like to go as far as predicting a playoff berth within the AFC. But, in 2016-2017, I just can’t seem to do so. I just can’t put my finger on this team.
Put up, or shut up type season for Tyrod in 2016-2017.
Although the Bills return many of the same faces this season, I am unsure if this team did enough to distinctively improve their roster during the offseason. Which leaves room for potential regression on both sides of the ball come September.
Let’s start with the offense.
Outside of Sammy Watkins and LeSean McCoy, we have ZERO idea what we will get production-wise out of the remainder of the Bills’ primary offensive skill players.
Charles Clay, Robert Woods, and Reggie Bush, are all what I would define as ‘run of the mill’ professional football players at their given position, while the bottom halves of the TE, WR, and RB depth chart are better described as ‘below average’ in terms of talent. This clear lack of explosive offensive firepower on the Bills’ roster is frightening, as Tyrod Taylor has proven to be incapable of carrying the team on his back in key situations.
Though he has been fairly efficient during his time in Buffalo, it would be difficult for anyone to describe anything that Taylor has done during his time here as game-changing. On more than one occasion last season, Taylor fell short of pushing the borderline Bills over the edge in many of their close losses, for example. By my count, Buffalo lost a total of five one-possession games in 2015-2016, and their QB must improve his performance in tight contests this season in order to ensure a better record in games decided by one touchdown or less.
In front of the quarterback, along the offensive line it seems that continuity has been the buzzword thus far in camp. Despite the Bills not possessing other worldly ability along the line of scrimmage, with the re-signing of Richie Incognito, and names such as Cordy Glenn (out recently with an ankle), John Miller, and Eric Wood all returning to the roster as well, Buffalo’s familiarity along the line of scrimmage will undoubtedly become this O-line group’s calling card. After all, the last time the Bills returned their starting offensive line from the previous season was in 1996 – a year in which they made the playoffs.
Defensively for the Bills this season, the outlook is certainly a bit more positive than that on the offensive side of the ball.
Give me Ronald Darby and Stephon Gilmore over any pair of corners in the AFC East.
Top-two defensive backs Ronald Darby and Stephon Gilmore each return to a young and talented Buffalo secondary, which could have the opportunity to become the best within the AFC East in 2016-2017. Aiding their superior corners, the Bills’ safeties will have to do a bit more in order to prove themselves as capable this season. While Aaron Williams is a relatively known-commodity at S, he is coming off of a serious injury which ended his season in 2015-2016, and it remains to be seen if he can regain his previous form as a leader at the back end.
In contrast to Buffalo’s safety group, the defensive front seven is as close to a sure-thing as there is on this team. Although they released Mario Williams in the offseason, I look at his removal as ‘addition by subtraction’ for this defensive unit, with Jerry Hughes and Marcell Dareus now set to take on a more vital role both in the locker room and on the field. Furthermore, I foresee a breakout season for ILB Preston Brown, who the coaches have entrusted as the conductor of what has been considered to be a shallow linebacking corps, and the defense as a whole.
All in all, I see both room for optimism and pessimism on each side of the ball when it comes to this year’s Buffalo Bills. And while I don’t necessarily believe their is a steep downturn on the horizon for the Bills, I’m not so sure that there is much room for vast improvement. Honestly, I just can’t decide which team will come out of the tunnel come opening day.
Stay tuned.
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