Great Expectations: Owens Signing Gives Buffalo Bills an Attitude Adjustment

When Terrell Owens arrived in Buffalo, Mayor Byron Brown told the media “We've got to get more aggressive about marketing Buffalo…promoting a high profile athlete who’s come to town.”

By tying Owens in with the general marketing of the city, Mayor Brown just gave the biggest diva head case in sports a free pass to the spotlight.

That’s like handing a junkie a needle and leaving the room; there’s no dispute as to how things will turn out.  Yet at the same time, Brown might be onto something.

Buffalo ranks near the top in national poverty, crime and unemployment rates and, equally as damaging to Buffalonians, the Sabres failed to make the post season again.

So at this point, if you’re a Buffalo sports fan, why not hitch your wagon to the luminous, combustible star that is the Terrell Owens show?  What’s the worst that could happen, the Bills finish 7-9 again and TO leaves town forever?

When Owens first stepped off the plane in Buffalo, he was greeted to cheering throngs of fans teetering on the thin line that divides hope and myopia.  On the night Owens signed, chants of “TO” resonated throughout assorted Buffalo watering holes.

These are clear signs of the Buffalo's jaded love culture transforming into expectation.  Bills fans EXPECT something positive this year, instead of just hope for it.

The Owens signing showed that Bills management was willing to gamble in the name of a winning season, and the Buffalo faithful are not out of line to expect a 9-7 record with a wildcard push.

A major part of Buffalo’s success will be their mental approach.  With an ironic twist that would make F. Scott Fitzgerald blush, the Bills may find attitude inspiration from Terrell Owens.

Case in point, when Mayor Brown presented Owens with a key to the city he told TO his privileges would be revoked should he fail to score 10 touchdowns and put the Bills in the playoffs.

Owens’ response?  “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

The Bills need that confidence.  The Bills need to think “why not us?” to have a winning season.  Look no further than to the 2008 Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays for recent examples of franchise turnarounds.

The Bills need to expect to win since they have the roster to do so.

Quarterback Trent Edwards enters his second full year as the starter so clearly he is under the microscope.  Football sage Bill Walsh once said Edwards will be a great quarterback, and now is the time for Edwards to fulfill that potential.

The Bills pass offense ranked in the bottom third of the league in attempts, yards and touchdowns last year yet they add a bona fide hall of fame receiver.  Logic dictates that Edwards’ numbers should improve.

Of course Quarterbacks need time to throw and that was the problem last year.  In 2008, The Bills offensive line ranked 22nd overall with 2.5 sacks allowed per game, accentuated by Joey Porter’s game changing safety on Edwards in week eight.

Malcontent tackle Jason Peters is gone and offensive line coach Sean Kugler has assembled a Frankenstein line full of rookies and Langston Walker playing in Peters’ old spot.

The offensive line play alone could be the difference between 7-9 and 9-7.

Marshawn Lynch will miss the first three games due to suspension and Fred Jackson will take his place.  Lynch missed time last year yet the Bills still ranked 11th in rushing touchdowns and 14th in total yards.

Traditional football wisdom says the presence of Owens and Lee Evans should open up the running game. Stacking the box could prove deadly to opposing secondaries.

Defensively, the Bills ranked fourth overall in passing touchdowns allowed last year, surprisingly better than phenom Ed Reed and his Baltimore Ravens.

Now that Donte Whitner has recovered from his Cleveland Taser treatment, there is no reason to expect any less than a repeat performance from the Bills secondary.

Ultimately, the Bills 2009 season will come down to coaching.

Dick Jauron has yet to produce a winning season in Buffalo, not to mention a plus .500 season since 2001 in Chicago.

In what other profession can you produce sub par results for eight years straight and still find steady work?

Jauron has shown an inability to keep his team focused in the clutch (ex. 2007 week one vs. Denver) and execute the small plays that win games (2008 week 15 vs. the Jets).  Jauron should expect his walking papers for anything less than a winning season.

Lateral thinking guru Edward de Bono once said “Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations.”  Should the Bills reconcile the two Western New Yorkers will get their popcorn ready in January.