"T.O. Effect" On The Horizon. What can Terrell Owens Bring to the Buffalo Bills?

There’s a feeling of optimism in Buffalo…is it because winter only lasted six months this year or is it the "T.O. Effect”.  No, not a strange weather anomaly…T.O., Terrell Owens!

“Terrell Owens is coming to town!  Terrell Owens is coming to town!”, shouted children in the streets (along with some slightly older Bills' fans), when they heard the news that the legendary Mr. Owens would call Orchard Park his primary workplace this season.

T.O. is a bona fide big play machine and will give Dick Jauron and offensive coordinator Turk Schonert a tool that if used properly could buy the Bills a new lease on their oh-so-pathetic life.  After all, isn’t T.O. a winner?

Yes, T.O. is a winner and he is a valuable piece of the puzzle that may bring the Bills out of the cellar, but the Bills have got to play to his strengths.  The safe play calling needs to be scrapped and the Bills need to open up their playbook to take full advantage of what T.O. can bring to this team.

The “T.O. Effect” will open up the field by stretching out the defense, but only if the Bills are willing to let the ball fly more than the occasional deep route like they have done in the past.  If they look for the pass more often, both Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish will find themselves riding the feel good wave of T.O. goodness.

Another added benefit of the “T.O. Effect” will be a resurgence of the run game because opposing safeties will have to respect the pass and back away from the box, but only if the Bills utilize the talent that they have.

Of course with everything positive, there is a negative aspect.  With T.O.—feed him plenty of balls or see your team torn apart from the inside out.  No history lesson here, but T.O. has drug former teammates down…remember the Jeff Garcia turmoil, the Donovan McNabb soap opera, and most recently, the Dallas locker room tirades.

Hopefully, Jauron and Schonert understand how the “T.O. Effect” can make or break the Bills.  Feed Mr. Owens the ball and win and the “T.O. Effect” will make your life a bowl of cherries, however, starve Terrell and feel the chilling negative factor of the “T.O. Effect."

Coach Jauron and Coach Schonert the harness the positive power of the “T.O. Effect” and see where it will take you—to the promised land of postseason smiles.