Like most Bills fans, I was pretty pumped after the first 6 games of the season looking back at a 5-1 start. The AFC East title looked almost in reach and I was already looking forward to the first Bills playoff game in years. How quickly things changed and when I look back now I realize this team was never really that good after the 5 and 1 start when you look at their opponents. After the firsrt 6 games, the combined winning percentage at the end of the season the teams the Bills played was .343. The only loss came from Arizona, a team that finished above .500 and the only win against a playoff bound team was against San Diego who came out of the gatets slow but finished 8-8. When you take a look at the complete season and the combined winning percentage of the 7 teams the Bills beat was only .354. The 9 losses came against good teams that combined for a winning percentage of .531. So what does this mean.
Good teams in this league have the ability to beat other good teams on any given Sunday. Unfortunately in 2008, the Bills didn't get the job done on most Sundays, in fact any. The truth of the matter is this team failed to execute week in and week out at a level of a playoff contender, they lacked any identity and most important had little inspiration or motivation from an inept sideline staff lead by Dick Jauron. If this team is going to make any progress next year, it should start with a leadership change on the sidelines who has the ability to get the most out the 47 players we get up each Sunday to watch 16 weeks a year. Let's all hope we get to see a game or two in early January 2010.
And by the way, of the 7 teams the Bills beat this year, 2 of the coaches have been fired, 1 is stepping away from football and 1 is in the hot seat right now.