Buffalo Bills Second Half Preseason Primer

The Buffalo Bills have shown two sides to its offense, one that can put up a lot of points quickly, and one that can turn the ball over, giving the opposing team short field and playing from behind for the rest of the game.

Bills quarterback Trent Edwards has shown a grasp of the no huddle offense, but with a hesitancy to throw the deep ball and indecisiveness that has led to turnovers. Edwards must think less and just throw into tight coverage, even if it's incomplete it would show Bills fans he's not scared to take a chance

Edwards has completed 20 of 25 pass attempts during the preseason with two interceptions and has yet to lead the first unit to a touchdown. He also had a costly fumble early against Green Bay that led to a Packer touchdown. Opposing defenses have sacked Edwards four times.

Many detractors are stating that Edwards is too timid to throw the ball deep and that he’s doing what he’s told, going through reads and checking down. This is fine for the first few preseason games, but eventually he’s going to have to attempt a few deep balls.

Some things that are also a concern for Bills fans is the absence of Terrell Owens from the last two preseason games, and that he’s going to miss the upcoming game in Pittsburgh. Owens will be ready for the opener against New England and his lack of reps shouldn’t concern Bills fans too much.

The Bills have also had some trouble inside the 20 yard line in trying to get touchdowns by using a bruising running back. Xavier Omon and Bruce Hall have shown that they are both capable of getting the short yards, but there’s still only one roster spot for the two players. That’s an intriguing battle for Bills fans to watch for the rest of the preseason.

An important concern going forward in the preseason is the development of the offensive line. It has looked good in flashes, but against a 3-4 front, it looked shaky at times but it’s developing. The rookies are coming along well and it should continue to look better as the preseason continues.

Aaron Maybin, Jairus Byrd, and Nic Harris are rookies that Bills fans should focus on with two preseason games remaining. Maybin will probably just be used on passing downs, going after the quarterbacks. Byrd continues learning and making the transition to safety while Harris is tied with 16 tackles for the league lead during the preseason.

One player that's benefited from Maybin's absence during training camp is Chris Ellis. Ellis wasn't used too much last year and he's hungry to get on the field. Ellis should continue to develop into an every down defensive end, plus he can always to turn to fellow Virginia Tech alum and pro football HOFer Bruce Smith for advice on how to get to the quarterback.

Ellis Lankster, the rookie seventh round choice, has shown some great ball hawking skills with two interceptions against the Bears. He’s fighting for that last cornerback spot with Cary Harris. Second year man Reggie Corner’s development at the nickel position provides some good depth. Corner is pushing Ashton Youboty for that fourth corner back spot.

On offense, it will be interesting to see how much they use rookie tight end Shawn Nelson. Nelson could be a huge weapon in the Bills offense, but the coaching staff might choose to hide some of his skills before the regular season starts. Nelson has shown great speed and is a mismatch against both a cornerback and linebacker.

This Saturday’s contest against Pittsburgh should be a good gauge as to see how well the team has developed. The third preseason game is usually the one where the first units play well into the second half. If the Bills do damage against the Pittsburgh 3-4 scheme, it should give Bills fans a lot of hope going into week one against New England