Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

- Written by Rich Arleo
- Edited by Marc Caviglia

While the New York Jets (11-5) may have made the most noise, AFC East fans watched the New England Patriots (14-2) once again clinch the AFC East  title in dominating fashion, while the Miami Dolphins (7-9) and Buffalo Bills (4-12) struggled to compete. After a huge playoff win over their division rivals, the Jets have their sights set on the conference title in 2011, but quarterback Tom Brady, head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots should have something to say about that. The Dolphins will look to put a wrench in both their plans while the Bills will look to address some glaring needs.

BUFFALO BILLS

It was such a bad season for the Bills that they couldn’t even LOSE right. The Bills started the season out 0-8 and looked primed for the No.1 overall pick in this year’s draft, however they decided to go 4-4 in the second half of the season and dropped to third overall where they could potentially miss out on their two top targets. The Bills lost Marcus Stroud to free agency and could also lose arguably their best player, Paul Posluzny, to free agency as well. It’s likely going to be another long season up north for the Buffalo faithful in 2011.

 
TEAM STRENGTHS

1. Wide Receiver Steve Johnson —  If there was one positive for the Bills in 2010 it was the emergence of Johnson as a legitimate No.1 wide receiver.  Johnson scored six times in the Bills’ first eight games (eight losses) and consistently caught anywhere from five to 10 passes in an otherwise stagnant Bills offense. Johnson was perhaps best known for his touchdown drop against Pittsburgh in Week 12 and his subsequent press conference meltdown, but make no mistake, Johnson’s speed and quickness make him a legitimate concern for defensive backs all across the NFL.

2. Talent In The Backfield — It took a few weeks, but Fred Jackson eventually broke through and performed like many thought he was capable of last season as he had over 1,110 total yards He proved to be a playmaker with multiple long runs of over 25 yards and while he will be 30 this season, he has only carried the ball 647 times in four NFL seasons so he has fresher legs than most backs his age. To give you an idea of how little that is, Adrian Peterson, who is just 26, has just under 1,200 carries in his four seasons. Add that to the fact that the Bills have a talented young back in C.J. Spiller, who struggled at times in his rookie year but showed flashes of a future stud, and the Bills’ backfield shouldn’t be of the utmost concern.

3. Strong Secondary Play — While the Bills’ run defense was awful in 2010, their pass defense was more than solid. Donte Whitner, Jairus Byrd, Leodis McKelvin and crew finished third in the league holding offenses to 192 yards per game through the air, and that was without cornerback Terrence McGee. The secondary is one spot the Bills can feel confident about heading into 2011.

4. Quarterback Play - Maybe… — While many look at the Bills and automatically think they need a quarterback, those who delve deeper will realize that Ryan Fitzpatrick really brings a lot to the table. The Bills shipped Trent Edwards off to Jacksonville after Week 2 and started Fitzpatrick, who immediately added some life to the offense. In 13 games started, Fitzpatrick threw for 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns while also adding 269 rushing yards. His skills as a mobile passer make him a legitimate quarterback and someone that Buffalo could give another shot to lead their franchise in 2011. Does Fitzpatrick’s emergence make the Bills completely ignore the quarterback position in the draft? Not likely, but he at least tempers the flame for now.

TEAM NEEDS

1. Drastically Improve the Run Defense —  Simply put, the Bills stunk against the run in 2010. They allowed a league worst 169.6 yards per game and 2,714 yards on the ground, and that needs to change. They sit at No.3 in the draft and could be enticed to take quarterback Cam Newton if he falls, but with that scenario unlikely, a perfect fit to shore up this porous run defense is Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. He has experience in the Bills’ 3-4 scheme and the Bills need a replacement for the departed Stroud, who never worked out as a big free agent signing a few years back. If Dareus is taken by the Denver Broncos at No.2, they could also look at Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers. Bowers, however, would have to make an adjustment to the 3-4 scheme, something rookies sometimes struggle with.

2. Another Pass Catcher —  While Steve Johnson is nice, he’s not great enough, yet, to carry the team as the only wide receiver. The oft-predicted emergence of Lee Evans just isn’t going to happen as he has proven to be no more than a mediocre No.2 receiver, so the Bills will have to look somewhere to add another receiving threat for Fitzpatrick.  They could take a look at a second tier wide receiver in Round 2 such as University of Miami’s Leonard Hankerson. They could also look at Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph as a target in Round 2. Either way, they have to make an attempt at adding another receiving threat.

3. Quarterback Play - Maybe… — While quarterback could be considered a strength, it could also be considered a need for the Bills. As mentioned earlier, Fitzpatrick is much better than most think, but at the same time, the Bills aren’t sure if he’s the answer for the future. That’s where the prospect of drafting a signal caller like Newton comes in. All reports are that he goes to Carolina first overall, but should he somehow drop to them there’s no way the Bills let him slip away. It’s not such a need that they will scramble through the free agent market to find a quarterback, however if Newton fall in their laps, expect them to take it, and wisely so.

**Note: All Offseason Needs Articles Were Written Before the 2011 NFL Draft**

AFC EAST NEEDS BY TEAM:  BUF  |  MIA  |  NE  |  NYJ  (click to view)

AFC SOUTH NEEDS BY TEAM:  HOU  |  IND  |  JAC  |  TEN  (click to view)

AFC NORTH NEEDS BY TEAM:  BAL  |  CIN  |  CLE  |  PIT  (click to view)

AFC WEST NEEDS BY TEAM:  DEN  |  KC  |  OAK  |  SD  (click to view)

NFC EAST NEEDS BY TEAM:  DAL  |  NYG  |  PHI  |  WAS    (click to view)

NFC SOUTH NEEDS BY TEAM:  ATL  |  CAR  |  NO  |  TB    (click to view)

NFC NORTH NEEDS BY TEAM:  CHI  |  DET  |  GB  |  MIN    (click to view)

NFC WEST NEEDS BY TEAM:  ARI  |  STL  |  SF  |  SEA    (click to view)

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