Getcha Popcorn Ready: Analysis of the 2009 Buffalo Bills

With the start of the 2009 NFL season less than a week away, and with final cuts being announced saturday, one can now begin to judge how there team will perform this season.  The Buffalo Bills, being in one of the most challenging divisions in the NFL, have many problems to overcome before they can make the postseason.

The main problems, will be the tough competition in the AFC East.  The Patriots and Dolphins are both coming off successful 11 win campaigns in 2008, and the Jets will also be a tough team to face, with defensive minded head coach Rex Ryan installing a new mindset in the Meadowlands.  Breaking down the 3 division opponents is a task the Bills must solve to be successful.

New England Patriots:  The Patriots have now beaten the Bills 11 consecutive times, as the last Bills win was the 2003 season opener.  Tom Brady looks as if he is back to normal, and New England will again present the Bills with the most problems.

Buffalo vs New England, weeks one,15: The Bill Belicheck-led Patriots will once again be a thorn in the Bills side. Tom Brady is back in prime shape and will once again look to dominate the Bills defense.  The Bills secondary is small in size, so they will have to jam Randy Moss at the line of scrimmage if they want any chance of stopping him. 

The Patriots have depth and experience at all positions on the offensive side of the ball. Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, and Kevin Faulk just add to the Patriots compliment of weapons.  The Bills offense simply does not have the firepower to keep up with the Patriots high powered attack.  The only way the Bills have a chance of staying in the game is controlling the ball with long, time consuming drives. 

But with Marshawn Lynch suspended for the first three weeks of the season, the chances do not look good on opening night for the Bills.  The only advantage the Bills have over the Patriots are Special Teams, so giving the Bills good field position and pinning the Patriots in their own end of the field will be crucial. 

However, the outlook does not look good for the Bills.  Watch for the Patriots to make it 13 consecutive times in defeating North America's team.

Buffalo vs Miami, weeks four,12:  The new and improved Miami Dolphins will also provide a big challenge for the Bills.  Chad Pennington and Ronnie Brown lead a consistent Miami offense and Channing Crowder and the re-acquired Jason Taylor will be the leaders of a solid Miami defense. 

The Dolphins once again come to Buffalo for a late season game, the Fins have a history of playing terrible in the winter months in Buffalo.  Lee Evans has had big games in his career in the Dolphins, and i see no reason for that to end, especially with the addition of Terrell Owens.

The Dolphins defeated the Bills in both meetings last year, but I look for the Bills to win at least one of the matchups this year.  If Trent Edwards can get in a groove finding Owens and Evans, the Dolphins will have trouble stopping the Bills offense.  The Bills and Dolphins should play two tightly contested matchups once again, with the Fins coming away with the win in week four, but the Bills coming out on top in week 12.

Buffalo vs New York, weeks six, 13:  The Mark Sanchez era in New York has begun.  With rookie head coach Rex Ryan deciding to go with Sanchez as the starting quarterback, The Jets will go through some growing pains this year.  The defense however, will be the Jets strongpoint. 

Newly signed Bart Scott will improve an already solid linebacking corps, which includes rising star David Harris.  Kerry Rhodes and Jim Leonhard will lead a hard hitting secondary.  A strong running game led by Thomas Jones and Leon Washington will hope to take some of the pressure on Sanchez, whose job this year is to just manage to game and let a strong defense and running game do its jobs. 

The Bills and Jets matchup evenly, as the Bills will have trouble running against the Jets strong run D.  The Bills should be able to pass against the Jets D, as Darrelle Revis can only cover one of the Bills two stud receivers.

The Bills and Jets always play each other tough, but I look for the Bills to squeak out a tough win at the Meadowlands in week 6, but the Jets come into Orchard Park in week 13 and steal a win from the Bills.

Buffalo should come out of the year with a record of 2-4 in the tough AFC East, anything more than that would be a big positive on the Bills run to the postseason.