Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Bills make me want to....

Be optomistic?

I guess that's what the fans of the Buffalo Bills have forced to do for the past 10 seasons since we haven't made the playoffs since 1999. Read that last sentence again. That's right. 10 seasons. Everyone remembers the "Home Run Throwback" from the 1999 playoffs vs. the Tennessee Titans right? Yeah, that's the last time the Bills were in the playoffs. Can anyone guess who our starting quarterback was that game? Rob Johnson. Wow. But at least he could get us into the playoffs. Unlike the starters that came after him (Drew Bledsoe, J.P. Losman, Trent Edwards) who have been as mediocre as you can get. In 10 years of not making the playoffs, we've had a top 5 pick only once. And we blew that one on Big Mike Williams, the 6'8" 360 OT from Texas, not the other draft bust named Big Mike Williams the Lions chose 10th overall out of USC (Sorry Zenga, you know I love anyone with tar coming out of their hands). Not blaming it all on the draft, plus it was hard to get big name free agents to come to Buffalo where the last quarter of the home schedule was almost guaranteed to be played in sub-freezing temperatures in the lovely confines of Ralph Wilson Stadium. That is until now...

Hello Terrell Owens. Welcome to the Buffalo Bills. North America's Team. How could you not be optimistic with this guy on one side and Lee Evans on the other. Besides Anquain and Fitzgerald in Arizona (which probably won't last much longer anyways), name a better receiving tandem out there. It's tough right? And with Trent having a full year under his belt, I think that 2009 might just be the year the Bills make if over the hump and see the post season.

Quickly I'd like to discuss the Bills 2009 draft. First off, I scored last second tickets to this years draft at Radio City and there were two ways I looked at it. One was that it was a very cool experience, an event I'm glad I can tell my children and grandchildren that I've been to once in my lifetime. One the other side it's probably the most overrated event I've ever been to. Thank God they shortened the first round from 15 minutes to 10 minutes because it would've been a long Saturday evening otherwise. Going into the draft there were some pressing needs for the Bills especially after trading Jason Peters to Philly for a few draft picks including their 28th pick overall. After many discussions with my draft guru, Zenga, (think Mel Kiper but not as cool of hair) we had come to the conclusion that the Bills were going to go DE or OT with the 11th pick overall then either a TE or whatever they didn't get with the first pick with the 28th overall. I was hoping for Brian Orakpo out of Texas who was sitting there at 11 but the Bills decided to go with Aaron Maybin out of Penn St. At first I was a little disappointed with the pick since the Bills had a tendency to blow their first round picks (See: Mike Williams, John McCargo, JP Losman) but after reading a few articles I'm content on the Bills personnel decisions, as I think Orakpo is a bit undersized to play DE (especially after seeing him in person at the draft. Just as Mark who slapped hands with him as he was walking up the aisle of Radio City).


So now I guess I should give my prediction for the Buffalo Bills 2009 Season. After seeing the schedule and knowing the Bills will be without RB Marshawn Lynch for the first 3 games of the year, I have to say the Bills sneak into the playoffs on the last day of the regular season as a Wild Card with a 10-6 record overall. Too optimistic? Maybe, but hey I'm a Buffalo Bills fan. I have to be.

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