Buffalo Bills: Top 20 Questions Facing Second Half Of The 2010 Season

Halfway through their 2010 season, the Buffalo Bills are the only team in the NFL without a win. At 0-8, they are now referred to as the "Lovable Losers."

Fighting hard deep into their games, the Bills and their fans have suffered through three straight gut-wrenching losses, dropping each contest by a mere three-point margin.

Returning to Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday, after being away for four weeks, the Bills are facing a Detroit Lions team that has lost 24 straight games on the road, so there is hope that the Bills can end their current eight-game losing streak.

The game is being blacked out again in Western New York, so for the second straight home game, (Jacksonville being the last time), local fans will have to go to the game if they want to see a Bills win.

With the final eight games remaining on the schedule, what are the main issues facing the team as they continue to evaluate the team and take baby steps towards rebuilding the team in to a winning organization?

This slideshow will address the major issues and talk about the Bills' future.

20. The 2009 Injury Bug Has Not Totally Left The Team

The 2009 Buffalo Bills season was a nightmare regarding the sheer number of season-ending injuries that claimed one Bills starter after another. Once a starter went down, it was comical how the second-string and even third-string player would follow with their own season-ending injury.

So, when Chan Gailey was named as the new Bills head coach, he brought in his own strength and conditioning program to try to turn around the health of the team.

The nature of the game is so physical, and the sheer size and power of today's NFL athletes are so imposing, that no matter how strong and flexible the players become, they can't avoid getting hurt.

Now with eight games down and eight games to go, how have the new strength and conditioning coaches fared at keeping the team healthy?

Here is the list of players that have been placed on season ending I.R. so far:

WR's: Roscoe Parrish, Marcus Easley

LB's: Andra Davis, Danny Batten, Kawika Mitchell

Tackle: Cornell Green

Tight End: Derek Schouman and Joe Klopfenstein.

So, there you have it, a total of eight players that have hit the I.R. list so far. That number is definitely lower than last year, so you would have to say that they are doing a better job so far. This is a positive development for the Bills organization.

One of the newest Bills players, linebacker Shawne Merriman was hurt on his first day of practice, so it would be difficult to pin his health on the new strength and conditioning coaches, since he may have already been damaged goods before he ever arrived in Buffalo.

19. How Has The Rookie Class Of 2010 Performed So Far?

The 2010 draft class was thought to be an addition to the roster that would provide an influx of talent and strength to the offensive and defensive lines, in addition to the talents of C.J. Spiller. So how can we say that this draft class has fared so far?

First-round pick C.J. Spiller - scored two touchdowns in the game against the Patriots and has had some moments where he has delivered some good runs in backing up Freddy Jackson as the second running back. He has been near the top of the NFL leaders for kickoff return yardage, but hasn't had the impact that the Bills or their fans were hoping for.

Chan Gailey said that Spiller still has to learn to run through the creases, learn the blocking schemes, learn to pass protect better, secure the ball better, to gain more playing time.

You would have to imagine that he will become more ingrained in the offense during the second half of the season, and we would welcome him breaking off some long runs in any capacity; punt returner (he will be replacing Roscoe Parrish now on returns), kickoff returns, running back, or pass receiver.

Second round pick - Torrell Troup - when the Bills made the switch from the 3-4 back to the 4-3 to go with a heavier defensive line front to stop the running game, it meant that Troup was going to gain significant playing time. He has made some plays and is learning the ins and outs of life in the trenches.

Third-round pick - Alex Carrington - is pretty much of a mystery, because he has been inactive for the vast majority of games to date. You hear his name come up very seldom from Chan Gailey, so one is left to speculate as to what is going on with Alex. He was thought to have some strong physical skills that would lend themselves to the 3-4 look, but so did Aaron Maybin for that matter. Jury is still out on Carrington.

Fourth-round pick - Marcus Easley. The speedy wide receiver was hurt before the season ever began and was placed on I.R. list. Hopefully, he returns healthy next year and will be a contributor to the offense and not another James Hardy disaster.

Fifth-round pick - Ed Wang. Another mystery. The first-ever Chinese player in the NFL, Wang has yet to make a contribution due to his broken thumb. With the injuries to Cordaro Howard and Cornell Green, there was speculation that Wang might see some action at tackle, but the Bills are going with Mansfield Wrotto instead. Maybe Wang will see some action in the second half, as his thumb should be getting better soon.

Sixth-round picks - Linebackers Danny Batten and Arthur Moats - Batten followed Marcus Easley as another rookie that went on the I.R. list before the season began, so he hopes to come back healthy in 2011 and contribute to the team. Moats has been active for games.

He has shown some flashes of putting pressure on the passer, but whenever he has been asked to apply coverage on the passing downs, he looks slow and lost. Teams exploit him in the passing game, so he will need to be a specialist.

Seventh-round picks: Levi Brown and Kyle Calloway: Both of these players were waived prior to the start of the season, but Brown was brought back to the team after Trent Edwards was released.

He is the emergency quarterback, so will probably not see the field this year, as the Bills are more interested in seeing what Brian Brohm can do. First objective is to win however, so as long as Ryan Fitzpatrick plays consistent ball, he will get the nod for now.

Overall, the draft picks for 2010 have not made that big of an impact on the team. That can change over the course of the second half of the season, but for now it appears that injuries have really limited what these players could have added to the Bills mix. Next up, the undrafted rookies contribution.

18. How Has The Undrafted Rookie Class Of 2010 Performed?

The Buffalo Bills scouts were busy at the conclusion of the 2010 draft, as they brought in a number of productive players from the 2010 draft that somehow slipped through the cracks and went undrafted. Those players that the Bills have brought in were:

Wide receivers: David Nelson, Donald Jones and Naaman Roosevelt

Linebacker: Antonio Coleman

Offensive Line: Cordaro Howard

Defensive Secondary: Dominque Harris

Out of this group, David Nelson, Antonio Coleman, Donald Jones and Cordaro Howard have earned places on the active roster.

David Nelson has made contributions throughout the season with big catches and has gained the trust and confidence of Ryan Fitzpatrick, as he has looked for the rookie on crucial third and fourth down plays this season.

With Roscoe Parrish going on I.R., the combination of Nelson and Donald Jones will have to step up to replace Roscoe's production. Jones has basically been limited to kickoff return duties with C.J. Spiller so far.

Cordaro Howard stepped in to replace Cornell Green at right tackle when Green went down with an injury. Howard filled in quite admirably, but now is dealing with his own injuries, so he will be replaced by Mansfield Wrotto this week. Howard will look to return in the second half and gain more experience, while he competes with Wrotto and Ed Wang for playing time.

Antonio Coleman was a surprise to go undrafted, and has been a special teams contributor so far this season. He may see some more time at linebacker during the second half, due to the injuries to Mitchell and Davis, depleting the Bills depth at linebacker. The lack of pass rush may lead to him seeing some time on third down and seeing if he can get to the quarterback.

In some ways, this group has done more with less expectations, than has the Bills drafted players.

17. How Close Are The Bills To Becoming A Good Football Team?

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TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 07: Steve Johnson #13, David Martin #80, and CJ Spiller #21 of the Buffalo Bills take the field prior to playing the Chicago Bears at Rogers Centre on November 7, 2010 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

Don't kid yourself, despite the 0-8 record, the Bills are starting to become a better football team each and every week. You might think that I have been drinking the Bills' Kool-Aid for too long, or that I am guilty of being a Bills' homer, but consider the following:

Since Reggie Torbor called for a players-only-meeting during the bye week, the Bills have faced three teams that were all either in first place, or one game out of first place in the Baltimore Ravens, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Bears.

None of the games were played before the Bills faithful at Ralph Wilson Stadium, yet this winless team found a way to take Baltimore and Kansas City in to overtime on the road, and take a lead in to the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears.

The Bills amassed over 500 yards of offense against a strong Baltimore Ravens defense, converted 10 of 16 third-down conversions against the No. 1 NFL defense in allowing first downs in the Chicago Bears, and controlled the clock in allowing Green Bay to have the ball for only one series in the second quarter, again doing that on the road.

Each and every one of those accomplishments is a sign that this team is turning the corner.

Until the Bills learn how to play smarter and better every minute of every game, they will not be a good team. But they are getting closer. You can see it if you watch them compete and play week in and week out.

They have to eliminate the turnovers, and the dumb penalties. They have to continue to trust in each other and communicate. The experience that the young players get will prove to be invaluable.

The next draft class will have their share of gems, only because the Bills ultimate record for this season will more than likely guarantee them with at least two players from the top 35 selections.

Those two players will hopefully contribute more than C.J. Spiller and Aaron Maybin have in the first half of their respective rookie seasons. When you bring back all of the injured rookies from the 2010 class along with the rest of the 2011 class, the Bills will have a wealth of young talent to work with in 2011.

16. How Good A Job Is George Edwards Doing?

In a press conference you can view at www.buffalobills.com, dated on 11/8/10, head coach Chan Gailey was asked about the pressure the Bills defense was putting on the quarterback.

He responded with the following: "I tell George Edwards what hurts offenses. He's got control of that thing. Think about pressure to incorporate it. He is seeing a little bit of pressure creates some problems sometimes for offenses. He is starting to incorporate that a little bit more which has been productive I think."

Huh? Here we are eight games in to the regular season, and if you dissect the quote either George Edwards is just now getting around to the idea of blitzing and applying pressure on the quarterback is a good thing or that its a new concept to Chan Gailey. Okay, I realize that maybe the quote wasn't the greatest reply he could have made, but therein lies part of the problem with the Bills defense.

The problem is a combination of the Bills lacking the talent on the defensive side of the ball to put pressure on the quarterback, (which means the secondary has fewer chances to make any interceptions ((still no interceptions from the talented secondary and we half way done with the season)), and/or the coaches, specifically George Edwards, is incapable of creating schemes for applying pressure on the QB.

Aaron Maybin has been non-existant so far this season and for his career for that matter. Aaron Schoebel's retirement left a gaping hole that the Bills were unable to fill on their own.

The lack of pressure from the linebackers has meant that the Bills have to have it from their defensive line, and they just aren't talented enough to be a steady force on the pressure scale. Kawika Mitchell's injury also hurt the team.

Maybe Shawne Merriman can get healthy and show that he still has something left. One thing we now know is that limited pressure can turn a very talented secondary of vultures in to a very average unit. Will that change over the second half?

If Merriman can't get healthy or find a way to inspire Maybin to realize his potential, and the pass rush stays anemic, it wouldn't be a total surprise if Chan Gailey goes out in the market and brings in a new defensive coordinator for the 2011 season.

The run defense is too porous, and the limited number of playmakers at the linebacker position means that Buddy Nix has to upgrade that unit, whether in the draft or in free agency.

If Merriman likes what he sees and feels like he fits in, the Bills can only hope to sign him to a longer term contract as one of the missing pieces. If Merriman is shot at 26, better that the Bills find that out now, than the long-term deal they already signed Chris Kelsay to. That is a contract that has bust written all over it.

15. Should Ryan Fitzpatrick Continue To Be The Bills QB For The Rest Of 2010?

I am a fan of Ryan Fitzpatrick. I love watching him scramble and take on whatever defender wants to come up and try to deliver a blow to him. That kind of mentality at quarterback hearkens back to the days of leather helmets. His approach is also very appropriate for the city of Buffalo.

Watching him thread the needle, having big passing days and moving the ball up and down the field are things that all Bills fans can appreciate. Especially since he was following the Trent Edwards show.

But, is Fitz the right guy to quarterback the team for the duration of the 2010 season? If the Bills continue to compete every week and lose one nail biter after another, what is the point of Fitzpatrick racking up one more career start. He has already established that he possesses the tools that help him lead the Bills offense, whether as the starter or as the backup.

Is he taking this team to the playoffs? No, he is not. Is he the long-term answer as the Bills franchise quarterback? No, he is not. He is not accurate enough a passer to make that claim. The overtime pass against Baltimore where he whiffed on the pass is all the proof you need.

So, what should the Bills do? At what point do you turn the ball over to Brian Brohm, or to Levi Brown? I think the Bills want to get their first win on the books with Fitz calling the shots, and then at that point anything is possible.

Fitzpatrick demonstrated last year that he is a quarterback you can win with. He doesn't have a strong enough team around him this year to repeat last year's record, but then again, this year's schedule is much harder than the 2009 version.

Brian Brohm has played the role of good soldier and with the Bills going nowhere, deserves to see some starts to find out if he has the ability to play at this level for a month or so- perhaps the month of December, as an example.

Not the most ideal weather conditions to show your stuff, but he warrants a look. Doubt that Levi Brown sees any time this year, but Chan Gailey needs to know what his internal pecking order is before he learns if Andrew Luck declares for the 2011 draft.

14. Is Buddy Nix Doing A Good Job in His Rebuilding Efforts?

During his first season as the Buffalo Bills General Manager, Buddy Nix completed two things that he had never been responsible for doing before. He conducted his first trade, shipping Marshawn Lynch off to the Seattle Seahawks for multiple draft picks, and he made his first big-name acquisition, placing a waiver claim on San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman.

Nix had the same chance to claim Randy Moss, but we will never know if Buddy could have forced Moss to retire from football for the rest of the season, if he would have joined the Bills or decided it was best to rest up for the final eight weeks from home.

Outside of those two moves, Nix seemingly made a decent draft class from his first draft, but as we detailed in an earlier slide, much of the progress he hoped for has been curtailed due to significant injuries. The free agents he brought in; Andra Davis, Reggie Torbor, Cornell Green, Dwan Edwards and David Martin have played their roles, but none of them could be classified as stars.

Nix and his top choice for head coach, Chan Gailey, will have had the benefit of going through this season to know exactly what they have on their hands in regards to the players that still are on the roster at the end of the season, and how to plan for the 2011 season.

Once the new NFLPA agreement is in place, Nix will meet with Ralph Wilson to learn how much Mr. Wilson is ready to open up the purse strings, recognizing that the Bills went the cheap route in 2010, and stayed away from adding the expensive free agent type players.

Whatever doesn't get fixed at the draft, Buddy Nix will have the chance to go out and sign some players to deals that give the Bills a chance to take another step towards being a winning team.

The only deal that to me is still a head-scratcher is the long-term signing of Chris Kelsay. Kelsay still does not appear to look comfortable or produce big plays in the new defense.

I concede that the rebuilding process was going to be a two to three year situation, so we will give Buddy Nix the benefit of the doubt for now, and wait to see what transpires from January through June before we get overly excited or worked up about what is happening or not happening with the Bills Extreme Makeover.

13. Why Can't The Bills Do A Better Job Of Stopping The Run?

Kyle Williams continues his impressive level of play this year, after he stepped up his game in the 2009 season. Outside of Williams, there really hasn't been anyone else that I would claim is having an exceptional season on the defensive side of the ball for the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills leading tackler coming in to the Chicago game was Donte Whitner. For the leading tackler on your team to be a safety, it means that the ball carrier (or receiver) had to get past the front seven to make his way downfield enough for the safety to eventually tackle him. What it also means is that each time that Whitner makes a tackle, the player had just gained significant yardage.

The Bills front seven needs to find a way of getting in to the opponents' backfield and disrupting plays by totaling blowing them up before they can even begin. The remainder of the defensive line (Torrell Troup, Dwan Edwards and Marcus Stroud) are trying to play containment, and to plug up the offensive linemen, which in turn frees up the linebackers to make plays.

The only problem with executing that is these particular linebackers lack the quickness or ability to bounce off of blocks and make the tackle in the backfield for a loss. Sure, the Bills defense has had their share of turning the ball over on downs, but the number of points they have been surrendering every week was eliminating any realistic chance for winning.

Better athletes, stronger players, or guys that have freakish skills are what is missing, and what is needed. Julius Peppers didn't have big numbers for the Bears last Sunday, but the amount of attention and number of blocks that have to account for him on every play are the kind of players a really good defense needs to rise to the top.

Having outside linebackers that can hold the corner and turn the play back to the inside where the support is coming from, would also be a major help. Unfortunately, that is something that Chris Kelsay has trouble doing, as he gives up big plays on his side too much in the first half of the season.

12. Is Steve Johnson Becoming An Elite NFL Receiver Overnight?

Steve Johnson has come in to his own during the 2010 season. He had a very quiet preseason, hardly making any catches to speak of. But as the Bills turned from Trent Edwards to Steve Johnson, it was no accident that Johnson's performances started to take off in to new heights.

Fitzpatrick has supreme confidence and a good dose of chemistry with Johnson. They have been working together for a solid year, and the part of the equation that has surprised me the most, is the way that Johnson has been able to steadily break tackles and come up with big yards after the catch. I really had not seen that much tackle-breaking ability previously, so it is a very welcome development indeed.

Johnson had an impressive touchdown streak of five straight games with a score, and he nearly made it six straight when he single-handedly ran through the majority of the Bears secondary, until he was brought down around the five yard line.

He shows good hands, ability to react to the pass, and can make difficult acrobatic catches. If Steve Johnson continues to show this kind of performance every week, the Bills may consider moving Lee Evans to continue amassing more draft picks for the 2011 draft. They will have David Nelson, Marcus Easley and Roscoe Parrish coming back next year, presumably.

For my money, it is a toss up between Ryan Fitzpatrick and Steve Johnson who is the MVP on the Bills this year, but to see how Johnson has evolved so quickly is an amazing rise in stature and confidence.

11. Whatever Happened To Freddy Jackson?

Fred Jackson turned in one of the finest overall performances you would want to see out of a player in the 2009 season. Funny what a difference a year makes, but the difference is almost night and day.

In 2009, Fred Jackson was a 1,000-yard rusher, and a 1,000-yard kickoff returner. That dual feat had never been accomplished before in the history of the league. He caught passes, threw a touchdown pass, ran the Wildcat offense, and picked up blitzing defenders whenever called upon.

He took on would-be tacklers and found a way to keep his legs churning so that he could fall forward and make positive yards out of nothing.

The year began with C.J. Spiller getting the season opening start, and then Marshawn Lynch taking the ball for a few games, while being showcased for his eventual trade. Still, Fred Jackson is now in the driver seat, but the engine doesn't seem to be working like it used to.

Those 2009 memories are no longer present with the Fred Jackson of 2010. Sure, I see him picking up defenders on the blitz. But I also am seeing him drop more than his fair share of passes when he was open.

I see him getting dropped behind the line of scrimmage, which would not have happened last year. He found a way to make lemonade out of lemons, but this year he is the victim of negative yardage too often.

Jackson found himself starting the year on the bench due to an injured hand he suffered in the first series of the first preseason game. Perhaps the hand never properly healed or he is still in pain, and that would account for the dropped passes.

I have been a huge fan of Freddy Jackson, and love how he came out of obscurity to becoming a starting NFL running back. But I want to see more of the 2009 version of Fred Jackson over the second half of the season.

If that form does not return, than it may cause Chan Gailey to start giving C.J. Spiller more of the workload going forward. Maybe that is not a terrible thing.

10. When Will The Bills Secondary Make Their First Interception?

Jairus Byrd, Donte Whitner, Drayton Florence, Terrence McGee, Bryan Scott, George Wilson, Leodis McKelvin, and Reggie Corner. These are the top eight Bills secondary members. They also have one other thing in common, which is none of them have made an interception so far after the first half of the 2010 season is in the books.

Andra Davis has a pick, and he was playing with a torn labrum. These guys have dropped a few easy interceptions, any one of which might have turned a Bills close loss in to a win.

But when a pass would get deflected in 2009, you could usually expect that the ball would be deflected directly in to the arms of a Bills secondary member, because that was what we had come to expect from them last year.

What a difference a year makes. Deflected passes this year fall harmlessly to the ground. Aaron Schobel and his one-handed pick of a Tom Brady screen pass sits at home watching games on TV like the rest of us. The pass rush is mostly to blame for the drop off in interceptions, but can it all be blamed on them.

If you go back and watch footage of the Bills games, you will usually see Drayton Florence with his back to the ball and to the quarterback. For some reason, Florence has totally abandoned the style where you follow the quarterback and his eyes in trying to anticipate where the ball is going.

When the Bills lost in the fourth quarter in Toronto to the Bears, the fateful interception in the fourth quarter, was purely a play based on anticipation and on reading the quarterback. Memo to Drayton, turn around !!

The guy I am hoping to scrutinize more in the second half of the season is Jairus Byrd. He has too much natural athleticism to not come up with a single interception, much less a dropped one. He has been slow to react to passes or finds himself out of position.

I am sure there will be those quick to respond about the pass rush, but how many times has a veteran secondary player set up a quarterback by acting like a decoy and bating him in to throwing a pass, only to be ready to step in front of it and bring it back?

Maybe we were spoiled by the collective efforts of this unit in 2009, but it is hard to imagine how they could go from feast in 2009 to famine in such a short span of time.

9. How Well Is The Offensive Line Maturing As A Unit?

Andy Levitre, Eric Wood, Demetrius Bell, Geoff Hangartner, and a revolving door. That has been the makeup of the Bills offensive line this season. The revolving door of course is right tackle, where we started out the year with Cornell Green, followed by Cordaro Howard, and now Mansfield Wrotto.

Don't forget about the old politician Brad Butler, who we were counting to return this season, only to have retire from pro football to turn his attention to his political aspirations.

The fact that the first four names are still the starters is a positive thing. That means many things on many fronts. They have been healthy enough to have been starting every week.

They have been playing together week in and week out, so that they can communicate about how specific situations need to be handled differently the next time they see it unfold. They can help each other out with certain players and they know how to pick each other up.

The running backs should benefit from running behind the same linemen for the most part. Especially with the three back committee reduced to two backs, the regular carries that Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller split should mean that they are closer to having an established ground game. But do they?

The Bears game was a stern test against an aggressive run defense. But 18 rushes for 46 yards, which averages out to 2.6 yards per rush, is woeful.

The Bills were able to pass the ball in the second half, but even with the success they got in the air, they still couldn't run the ball. That is a sign that the offensive line still has not arrived yet, and needs to improve.

The sacks seem to be more reasonable lately, but that may be as much a tribute to Ryan Fitzpatrick and his ability to scramble and avoid trouble, as it is about the improved play of the offensive line. They still need to acquire better tackles for this team to advance to higher levels.

8. Two Straight Black Outs: A Sign Of Things To Come?

You can see all of the empty seats that are in the background while Booker Edgerson accepts his award at a Bills home game this year. This week will be the second straight home game that the Bills did not sell out in time to lift the local blackout.

Is this a sign of things to come in the future for Bills fans? We are already aware that the Steelers game is a sellout, but that may be more of a result of Steelers fans traveling up from Pittsburgh, than it is of Bills fans turning out in droves to support the team.

Even though this is an uncapped year due to the NFLPA contract expiring, Ralph Wilson opted not to shell out any big bucks for free agents that were available.

Instead, Ralph asked Chan Gailey to work with what was essentially already there. Gailey and Buddy Nix did what they could to add to the mix, but the talent level is just simply not there to turn out a winning product.

While it is probably interesting that the Bills have improved enough to go from laughing stock around the NFL to now just being referred to as "Lovable Losers" instead, the real question is will Bills fans continue to come out and cheer for a team that possibly could go 0-16 for the first time in Bills history?

As the second half of the season gets colder, and the elements get harsher, will it be easier for Bills fans to sit home and stay warm, watching other teams play football on the big screen, or will they be willing to sit there and freeze, hoping that their presence lends itself to securing a win or two by inspiring the home team?

The fact that the Bills are so close to winning should inspire the community to come out and show support for the team. However the rest of the season turns out, we don't know.

But if somehow the Bills are on the clock and they have one of the top three picks of the 2011 draft, and don't secure a starting franchise QB, elite left tackle or the next stud defensive tackle, Bills fans should feel justified to place a small mirror under the nose of Buddy Nix to make sure that he is actually alive.

7. How Well Is Chan Gailey Holding Up To The Scrutiny Of O-8?

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TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 07: Chan Gailey, head coach of the Buffalo Bills stands on the sidelines against the Chicago Bears at Rogers Centre on November 7, 2010 in Toronto, Canada. Chicago won 22-19. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

Chan Gailey continues to address the media, seemingly being asked the same questions week after week. How badly did this loss hurt? How close are you to losing the locker room? Are the players still playing hard for you? How do you coach the team how to win? Etc, etc, etc.

Gailey gives the media to ask their questions, and he provides a level headed answer. He continues to show belief in his players, and they seem to enjoy playing for him. The offense has undoubtedly benefited from the addition of Gailey, and no doubt he would have been a strong addition last year when our offense was clueless for most of the season.

I know that Gailey is supposed to be the offensive guru and mastermind about taking advantage of the specific skills and talents of your players, and building things around them to be successful. That does seem to be the case with his new team, but it is the defensive side of the ball that has me more concerned.

Gailey is responsible for the whole team as the head coach. He says that it is up to George Edwards to run the defense the way that he thinks is best, but it really comes down to Chan Gailey ultimately, and nobody else. 

He has to inspire George Edwards to bring whatever level of talent he can out of his troops, and I am not convinced that I see that so far from our defense.

Sure, there are some positive things happening, and the Bills defense has done a better job lately of forcing punts when the Bills are trying to play catch up late in a game.

Special teams is another area that has not really been that bright, and outside of the C.J. Spiller touchdown return against the Patriots, not a whole lot has happened that gets us excited.

So, out of the three units, the offense appears to be the most consistent part, and that is mostly due to the passing rating of Ryan Fitzpatrick. The offensive ground game needs to improve as well.

At least there isn't much talk about replacing Gailey, and even though the record is bad, the team is playing very hard for them, which is evident to all that watch them for all four quarters.

6. Which Bills Players Do You Want To See More Of In Second Half Of Season?

I remember seeing Aaron Maybin on the field in the early part of the season. He would be close to where somebody got tackled and after the play he would start hopping up and down like he was an Ever-Ready Pogo Stick. Either that or he was "All Jacked Up On Mountain Dew." Talladega Nights line, in case you were wondering.

Being paid so much money to sit and watch as an inactive player has to be a mixed bag for Aaron Mabyin. Sure, he doesn't have to be worrying too much about how he is going to afford to pay for his rent this year, but when he looks at himself in the mirror, I wonder what he must be thinking about.

I for one, would like to see the Bills give him an extended look in the second half of the season. Okay, maybe that is a stretch, but how about an extended look in a game that is a blowout?

We have to play the Steelers later this year, so that may be one game to target. I just want to let the kid run out there, apply what he has supposedly learned in practice and give his best effort to make something happen.

Hopefully, Shawne Merriman knows how to get through to Aaron, because it appears that the current coaching staff does not have the answer.

Outside of Maybin, other Bills I would like to see get some extended action in the second half of the season are: C.J. Spiller, Brian Brohm, Alex Carrington, Kraig Urbik, Antonio Coleman, Arthur Moats, Ed Wang, and Shawn Nelson.

Having some legitimate game footage of these players on film can only serve to help Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey in their overall offseason of the team, the players in question, and to help determine what are the depth issues that plague the team from taking the next step going forward.

# 5) Is Shawne Merriman Still Capable Of Being A Force On Defense?

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Is Shawne Merriman worth all of the hype, or does he wind up being much ado about nothing?

Merriman entered practice for the first time on Wednesday this week, only to have his practice cut short after fifteen minutes due to injuring his Achilles tendon.

The speculation was that Merriman was doing whatever the training staff and coaches asked him to do, according to Buddy Nix. His attitude was to play as hard as he could for the Bills over the second half of the season and let the chips fall where they may, seeing as how he would be a free agent at the end of the season.

The Bills are lacking big time playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. It has been years since Shawne Merriman was considered to be a big time playmaker, but in his prime he was certainly all of that. Is he what we thought he was, or is he who we think he is? So far, the jury is still out. If he can show that there is something left in the tank, and he can do it playing for an 0-8 team, the free agent may still land a big pay day down the road.

Or it could be a failed experiment, and just one more example of a veteran played that shuffled in and out of Buffalo.

The grandest plan of course is that he finds lighting in a bottle, and loves it here and the Bills through the new collective bargaining arrangement either sign him to a deal, or are compensated with draft picks if he opts to play elsewhere. Time will tell what happens, but for now we are waiting to see if he is able to take the field and be a factor.

# 4) When Will The Bills Finally Win a Game?

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 3: John McCargo #97 of the Buffalo Bills sacks Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions during the preseason game at Ralph Wilson Stadium on September 3, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

It is hard to predict your team is going to win a game when they have already lost eight straight times. But when you are hosting a team that has already lost 24 straight games on the road like the Detroit Lions have done, this is as good as any of a time to like your team's chances.

This is not the same old Detroit Lions team however, as the talent level on the Lions has benefited from where they have selecting from recently in the draft, and adding the likes of Calvin Johnson, Ndamukong Suh, Matthew Stafford, and Jahvid Best to the team, you are going to get better. They have quality tight ends in Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Sheffler a stud on the defensive line in Kyle Vanden Bosch.

The Lions have won two of their past four games and took the New York Jets to overtime before losing then. The Bills can relate to what that is like. This game is certainly not a walk in the park, but the prospect of being so close for three weeks in a row, returning to play in front of the home crowd, having Matthew Stafford and Jason Hansen out due to injury, and facing a team that knows it can't win on the road all adds up to me going out on the proverbial limb to feel that this will be the week we win one.

# 3) How Long Do The Players Keep Playing Their Hearts Out For Chan Gailey?

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 07: Chan Gailey, head coach of the Buffalo Bills talks to Steve Johnson #13 on the sidelines against the Chicago Bears at Rogers Centre on November 7, 2010 in Toronto, Canada. Chicago won 22-19. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Image

You can see how badly Chan Gailey feels after each of the past three losses, as he stands there at the press conferences after each game, answering each question as if his someone has punched him in the gut.

You feel for the guy, but he shows that he has mental toughness, which is the same thing that he expects from his players. Even though it may be getting harder and harder to get up for each and every game when you have a 0-8 record, the Bills continue to battle and show heart every week. They also know what happens if you aren't up for it, as evidenced by the team releasing Trent Edwards.

As we work our way towards December expect some more changes to occur, as change seems to be the operative word for the Bills, no matter who is running the show. Just this week, Roscoe Parrish and Andra Davis hit the I.R. list, and the Bills lose two more starters for the rest of the year. Just prior to that it was Cornell Green hitting the I.R. list and so it goes. At least the Bills are expected to get Terrence McGee back, even if Shawne Merriman has been ruled out.

The guys that play hard for Gailey in December will be the same ones he remembers next season, as he attempts to figure out who he wants to go to war with in 2011.

# 2) Where Will The Bills Finish In The Overall Standings?

As we enter the second half of the season, the Bills right now own the first spot for claiming any other waived players as well as the first overall draft pick. That might change if the Bills win this Sunday, as then the Bills will be in a fight with the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers for top spot. 

There will be some people that are going to be hollering for the Bills to tank the rest of the season to assure a high pick. I assure you that is not what the players, management or coaches will want to do.

If it boils down to those three teams, the Cowboys appear to be set at quarterback with Tony Romo, assuming that he heals properly, and Carolina should be set with Jimmy Clausen. So, the only scenario that would be a potential problem is if somebody needs a QB and trades up with Dallas, and goes ahead of the Bills. We have no way of knowing that but it is a distinct possibility.

Either way, the Bills still have their work cut out for them, especially since they close out the season with three games versus their AFC East rivals, and playoff implications will be involved for probably all three.

#1) Start Catching Up On Potential Bills Draft Picks

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

SEATTLE - OCTOBER 30: Quarterback Andrew Luck #12 of the Stanford Cardinal looks for a receiver against the Washington Huskies on October 30, 2010 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. Stanford won 41-0. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

In case you stick mostly to watching the NFL and not much college ball, the rest of the college season would be a good place to invest some time, so you can see the players that are starting to rise above the pack and speculate on who the Bills will draft.

It would be hard right now to envision the Bills not having a pick in the first three slots, although it is possible that they go on a mini-win streak. Ryan Fitzpatrick said the Bengals started out one season at a similar 0-8, but went 4-3-1 down the stretch. If that happens, the Bills would probably be back in the six to seven slot and probably be out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

Pay attention to the elite tackles, the quarterbacks and the defensive stars, as it is evident that the Bills need playmakers across the board on defense. If Andrew Luck doesn't declare, it wouldn't surprise me at all if they wind up going with a defensive stud with that first pick.

The conference championship games, and the round of owl games is a great place to see these future stars against better competition. At least there will be plenty to speculate about between now and the draft.

Thanks for reviewing the piece and I welcome all your thoughts regarding the Bills and the second half of the season.