2010 Bills Season in Review

Part I: Offense

-Coast

Now that we are 2 weeks removed from the 2010 season, it is time to look back at the season that was and hand out some grades for each position. We will begin with the offense, the better of the two units.

QB - C

The fact that Trend Edwards actually started two football games for this team really hurt them in this area. Does everyone remember how embarrassingly pathetic this offense was with him under center for the better part of three NFL seasons? In 2 starts this season Trend Edwards was 29-52 241 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs. Thank God we cut him after week 2. Fitzpatrick came in and did alright. He seems like an adequate starting quarterback in the league.

In 13 games, Fitzpatrick threw for 3,000 yards, 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. This is the most productive season I can remember from a Bills QB. Had he started weeks 1 and 2, we could be talking about 26 or 27 TDs and 3,500 yards. Fitz earned the right to be this team's starter in 2011 regardless of who the Bills may draft in April. Brian Brohm proved in week 17 that he is horrible and that there was good reason for Green Bay getting rid of him. The guy is awful and there is no way this team can go into 2011 with Brohm as the backup. Overall, if Fitz would have started all 16 games I would have considered a B-, but since Edwards and Brohm played almost 20 percent of the games, that has to effect the grade.

RB - C

This is very generous. The Bills began 2010 by drafting a running back in the top 10 in CJ Spiller. Gailey was enamored with Spiller's performance in August so he named him the opening day starter. Spiller then fell on his face. CJ Spiller produced 2 touchdowns in 2010, both in the same game. Spiller produced 283 on the ground and 157 yards receiving on only 24 catches. Drafting Spiller was a HUGE mistake by this franchise.

The Bills also had Fred "the career mediocrity that everyone loves" Jackson and Marshawn Lynch on the roster. Lynch got the majority of the work in the first 4 games after the Spiller experiment failed. As it turns out, the Bills were just trying to show him off for a possible trade, which they pulled off after the Jets debacle in week 4. The Bills then focused the run game on Jackson. Fred ran for 927 yards and 5 TDs and averaged 4.2 yards per carry. These aren't bad numbers for Fred. He is serviceable, but he isn't Barry Sanders like many people in Buffalo think. Also, the fact that he went to Coe College and is playing in the NFL doesn't make him good. I don't want overachievers, I want dudes drafted 9th overall from the ACC to be studs...not kick returners.

WR - B+

As the position sits right now, I think it could be an above average to good unit in 2011. The emergence of Steve Johnson is a major reason why. Johnson will go into 2011 as the number 1 receiver on this football team. He led the team with 82 receptions, 1,073 yards and 10 touchdowns. He ranked 11th, 11th and 7th in the NFL in these categories respectively. Unfortunately for Johnson, he should have had 11 touchdowns about 1,110 yards and that is what he will be remembered for in 2011.

That colossal drop by Johnson against the Steelers was without a doubt unforgettable. That said, Johnson had a great year for it being his 3rd year and only his 1st as a starter in the NFL. Lee Evans was the number 1 receiver in 2010 and if the Bills could actually move him, it should be considered. The only problem is, I am not sure anyone would give up anything worth anything given his production and salary. Johnson's 82 catches are more than Evans has had in any season in his career except one (Evans had 82 catches in 2006). Johnson's 10 TDs are more than Evans has had in a single season in his career.

Furthermore Johnson's 1,073 yards is more than Evans had in any season except 2006. Lee had 37 for 578 and 4 TDs in 12 games this year. This is solid production for a number 2 receiver. Roscoe Parrish also had a good year until he got injured. In only 8 games, Parrish had 33 catches for 400 yards and 2 touchdowns. Johnson, Evans and Parrish form a very formidable 1-3. Also emerging in 2010 were David Nelson who added 353 yards and 3 more touchdowns. The Bills also have some solid depth with experience in Donald Jones and Naaman Roosevelt who each played well when Parrish and Evans went down with injuries. Also lets not forget about unknown Marcus Easley who showed some promise in preseason before his knee injury.

TE - F

I am not going to waste much time here. The Bills do not have a tight end. It is incredibly hard to believe that this team has not been able to find a tight end in 10 plus years. The 3rd and 4th round draft pick experiments are not working...Nelson who is a bust, Everett, Euhus, Cieslak among others. How do you fail this miserably at the same position year in and year out? Jonathan Stupar was the Bills leading receiver at tight end in 2010. He had 12 catches for 111 yards. David Martin, who wasn't on the team opening day, finished 2nd with 7 catches and 43 yards. The suspended drug abuser Shawn Nelson had 3 catches for 25 yards and one of which he fumbled away costing the Bills the game in Baltimore. Scott Chandler added 1 catch for 8 yards. Who is Scott Chandler? In total, the Bills tight ends had 23 catches for 187 yards. The Bills allowed at least 267 yards to tight ends during September alone. I say at least because I only looked at Fasano, Finley, Hernandez and Gronks. The Bills MUST find SOMEONE in the offseason.

Offensive Line - D+

This may be a bit harsh, but come on, this line is not even close to being good. Anyone who watched the Vikings game agrees. Jared Allen, a top level D-end, vs. Demetrius Bell, the starting left tackle of the Bills, was as big of a mismatch as Belichick vs. Jauron. The line is solid on the interior although Wood needs to play center in 2011 with Hangartner moved to guard along with Levitre. I am not sure what to think about the tackle position. Bell obviously isn't ready for the bright lights and who is our right tackle? I didn't even know who was playing O-line by week 16. Mansfield Wrotto and Cordero Howard hopefully aren't the future of the right tackle position. Can Ed Wang be an NFL tackle? Who knows? There are way too many questions. The good news for the line is that Fitz was only sacked 24 times...but I think this is more on Fitz than it is on the line.

Overall, the offense was exciting to watch at times during 2010, but still has a lot of holes to fill. If the Bills can find a tight end and some help on the line, it could be a top 16 offensive next year. Until then though, the offense is still average...therefore I will give them a C for the 2010 season as a unit.