Buffalo Bills: What To Expect in the Final Month of The 2010 Season

We were ALL jacked up about our Buffalo Bills following two wins and a competitive showing against the ferocious Pittsburgh Steelers. 

The Bills had turned the corner or at least we all though they did. 

Then, Buffalo was dominated in every facet of the game last Sunday in Minnesota, against the Vikings in a 38-14 loss. 

Not only did the Bills lose in humiliating fashion, but Antonio Coleman, Geoff Hangartner and Kraig Urbik were lost for the year. The latter creating a mess on the offensive line, with starter Eric Wood already banged up. 

With four games to go, there's still many question marks swirling around the Buffalo Bills and this is what to expect the rest of the way....

(I'm giving you this on one page instead of in the usual slide-show. Let me know what you think.)

The offensive line to have it's struggles.

We love to talk about the futures of Wood and Levitre, but since Hangartner was brought in from Carolina two offseasons ago, he's been far and away the most consistent guy on the line.

With him out and Urbik sidelined, there will be shuffling, which is never good for the guys up front. 

More dedication to the run.

I'm an advocate of running the football first to set up the play-action pass. Buffalo's effectively utilized play-action, but hardly has pounded the football enough.

In their two wins, albeit against Detroit and Cincinnati, they ran the ball 32 and 25 times respectively. I think sometimes Chan Gailey gets mesmerized by what his array of pass plays could do to an opposing defense, and forgets that he has two (OK, maybe just one right now) capable runners. 

More plays from the secondary

They were a little late to the party, but the Bills secondary finally has picked up where they left off last year with seven interceptions in their last three contests.

Sure, more teams will run the football, especially the Browns and Jets, but confidence can benefit a defensive backfield more than people admit. Whoever starts at QB this week for the Browns and the following week for the Dolphins, won't be known for their great touchdown to interception ratios and a humbled Mark Sanchez may be more timid against Buffalo.

Trouble stopping the run

What else is new, right? They'll really miss Dwan Edwards (as was evident last week in Minnesota) and if guys like John McCargo and Aaron Maybin see long stretches of playing time, Buffalo might get completely run over.

The loss of Antonio Coleman sure doesn't help either.

You know what that means?

More take-downs after 15-yard gains for Paul Posluszny and Donte Whitner, who are tied for fourth in the NFL with 111 total tackles. (shows how worthless that stat is).

More dependable play from Ryan Fitzpatrick 

The bad weather isn't conducive for many 300-plus yard, four touchdown showings, but Fitzpatrick would throw down the sideline in a tornado if he saw Lee Evans or Stevie Johnson open.

I think Chan Gailey knows his line could have some trouble, so we could see more roll outs and other plays that move Fitzpatrick from the pocket.

We might even witness more head-first dives at the end of scrambles. Gotta' love him. (Let's just hope he gets to 30 touchdowns for good old Jerry Sullivan.)

I have no clue where the Bills will draft.

No one does.

Buffalo's out of the playoffs once again, but we only get four more weeks of this until next September.

Let's enjoy it, root on the Bills against our most hated rivals and hope for the best.