How Will Terrell Owens Impact the Buffalo Bills?

Last season ended for the Buffalo Bills the way the previous two had with a 7-9 record. The Bills missed the playoffs yet again, and there were rumors that this time it would cost Dick Jauron his job as head coach.  

The Bills offense last year averaged just 305 yards/game and their defense gave up 326 yards/game. So when Buffalo drafted in April, they addressed their biggest need which was on the defensive side of the ball. They choose Aaron Maybin, a speed rusher from Penn State in the first round and then drafted cornerback Jairus Byrd in the 2^nd round.

The surprise to all Bills fans and most football fans occurred the month prior to the draft though when Buffalo signed free agent Terrell Owens to a one year contract for 6.5 million dollars.  

Now we all know the talent that Owens possesses, he has displayed great speed, good hands, and a demand that the defense pay attention to him or it would be quite costly. Those are good reasons for signing Owens, but overall I think the Owens signing will be a huge mistake for Bills and their team.

There is a quote by George Santayana that says, “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” 

Owens has played in the NFL for 13 seasons for three different teams, and each time the team doing the releasing couldn’t show him the door fast enough. What makes Ralph Wilson, the Bills owner think this time it will be different?

The Bills have an average quarterback in Trent Edwards, who in his two years in the league has averaged 2,100 yards per season and a QB rating of under 80. 

Edward’s ability to throw the deep ball, something Owens I am sure will want thrown his way on a frequent basis, is below average. He completed just 12 of 27 passes further than 21 yards last year for just 444 yards. 

Now imagine the huddle conversation with Owens who wants a deep ball thrown to him, but Edwards asking him to do a 12-yard square out instead.  I see this QB and WR relationship going the same way that the McNabb and Romo relationships went, by week six this will not be a happy marriage.

Another factor I see impacting the Owens signing in a negative way is the weather. In the last four seasons, Owens has played one game with the temperature below 40 degrees and has a total of one catch. 

Something tells me that playing in Buffalo after November, he might be seeing a few snowflakes and dropping temperatures.  Last season Owens was second in the league in dropped passes, so this year with the temps dropping and the winds howling thru Ralph Wilson Stadium, I think the owner himself will be wondering why this signing ever occurred.

In conclusion, the Bills were an average team last year with a below average defense.  I think the Owens signing is not going to help the defense and by mid-season I see him destroying the offense as well.  

So when T.O. said “get your popcorn ready, I’m gonna put on a show”, I don’t think Bill’s fans were ready for the horror show to come.