Do you remember the first scene of “Major League” where the citizens of Cleveland are looking over the roster for the year and not recognizing a single name on the list?

That’s how the casual Bills fan feels while looking over the roster and viewing the names of the most important part of the ‘09 squad… and I’m not tlaking about Terrell Owens.  Geoff Hangartner?  Eric Wood?  Andy Levitre?  Kirk Chambers? Demetirus Bell? Seth McKinney?

Who are these guys?

The 2009 Bills look to have a new starting 5 for the O-Line.  To be fair, two guys are coming back, but playing new positions as Langston Walker and Brad Butler switch to the tackles.  They say that games are won in the trenches, but what would it mean to possibly start two rookies at the guards?  The O-Line is patchwork at best… however it’s the difference between a failure or a success in 2009.

The defense is capable.  Nothing too outstanding, but the job can get done.  The secondary is a little weak and the D-Line is average, but they aren’t “bad.”

Now if the offensive line is above average, give me a reason why the Bills can’t put up 30+ a game? Trent Edwards (who shows he can make good decisions if the coaches loosen the reins) can get the ball to Lee Evans, Terrell Owens, Josh Reed (who wasn’t terrible last year!) Roscoe Parrish, Steve Johnson and the great unknown that is James Hardy.  Running the ball while Marshawn Lynch serves a suspension is Fred Jackson and Dominic Rhodes.  That’s a 1-2 combo I’d like if there was no Lynch at all.  When Beast Mode comes back, it’s almost too bad that there are only 60 minutes in a game, cause each guy should get 15+ touches a game.

But it all comes back to the O-Line.  If they can give Trent Edwards enough time, the Bills will lead an amazing air attack.  Marshawn Lynch has already piled up an average of 78 yards per game behind a terrible line.  He has 2 1,000 seasons and last year was a great passing threat behind a line that was God awful.  So at least Lynch can be counted on to produce if the line stinks it up.

Now the coach should not be under pressure to start the year and I’ll tell you why.  He has shown that the team can win some games.  After last year’s 5-1 start, the Bills were a FG away from another win against the Browns on Monday Night and a JP Losman fumble from beating the Jets (long after the Bills were dead in the water too).  Dick Jauron doesn’t have to be good…he just has to not be bad.

If that made any sense to you.

The 2009 season will ultimately rest on the meaty shoulders of the offensive line.  The Buffalo Bills are a tricky team to figure out because they are not “rebuilding” and they are not “built to win now.”  In the NFL, you are either one of those.  But where do the Bills lie?  No team that loads up on offense with T.O. and Dominic Rhodes can ever be “rebuilding,” while no team with 5 new starters on the O-Line can be a “contender.”

I’m just looking for it to be an entertaining ride.

Photo: Chris Creamer’s Sports Logos.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 1st, 2009 at 7:08 pm and is filed under NFL. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.