After a 9-7 finish and yet another season without football in January in New York, the Buffalo Bills decided it was time for a change. Well a few big changes to be more specific.
The Bills made the first big splash of the offseason by acquiring LeSean McCoy in a one-for-one trade that sent linebacker Kiko Alonso to the Philadelphia Eagles. They hired Rex Ryan, signed Percy Harvin, and suddenly the Bills were coming together as a team.
Well, the defense has always been together. If the Bills were to win a Super Bowl, it would be in 2000 Baltimore Ravens style, where the defense was so good the fact that the team had Trent Dilfer under center didn’t even matter. I would compare them to the 2013 Seattle Seahawks as well, but some of y’all get upset when I say Russell Wilson is replaceable.
The Bills bread-winners on defense are the front seven who generate enough pressure to give their secondary the easiest job in the NFL. Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus would be sufficient, but adding in Jarius Wynn and Corbin Bryant almost makes the line unfair.
Even at linebacker where they lost Alonso to the Eagles and Brandon Spikes to the New England Patriots, the Bills did not feel pressured to try and draft a replacement or overpay a veteran to replace them. The team sees Nigel Bradham and Preston Brown as more than teams can handle alone.
The best part about the defense is the addition of head coach Rex Ryan. Sure, they may have lost some personnel, but Ryan brings in the know-how to succeed with much less than the talented defensive roster that Buffalo boasts right now.
The Bills offense will be looking much better as well. McCoy was a great trade, and Harvin and tight end Charles Clay will be a huge help for Matt Cassel.
Therein lies the only real glaring problem with this team—the Bills have put together quite the roster on defense and made some huge gains on offense, and all of it will be quarterbacked by Matt Cassel.
The Bills have been projected to finish as high as 12-4, so obviously there is some serious belief out there that they can do it. I wouldn’t put them that high, but nothing would make me happier than to see the Patriots dethroned from atop the AFC East.
Nothings impossible. After all, Rex Ryan did lead Mark Sanchez to the AFC Championship two seasons in a row.