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This second phase of the Buffalo Bills’ 2011 season review focuses on the offense. On that side of the ball in 2011, the Bills made progress, starting out the year as one of the highest scoring units in the NFL. However, injuries and inconsistent play plagued them for most of the season and overall it was a disappointing year. Here is a position by position player assessment of the offensive players on the current Bills’ roster:

Quarterbacks

Ryan Fitzpatrick – the Bills have decided he is their QB of the future, awarding him with a new contract during the season. His play fell off badly after the contract was signed, however. In my opinion, he is a good enough option to lead this team where it expects to go next year. When his game is on, Fitzpatrick makes quick decisions and gets rid of the ball quickly, and spreads the ball around well, using all the weapons at his disposal. He needs to drastically cut down on interceptions, as some of the throws he made were maddening. It says here that Fitzpatrick will prove to be an even more capable QB when he has a stronger defense on the other side of the ball, one that can keep him from being pressured to score on every drive to keep up.

Tyler Thigpen – signed as a veteran backup to Fitzpatrick because of his familiarity with coach Chan Gailey’s system, he saw little action as Fitzpatrick was pretty durable. He wasn’t very impressive in the little action he saw, and the Bills should at least consider bringing in training camp competition for the backup QB spot next year.

Running Backs

Fred Jackson – he was the team’s MVP before being injured, the most versatile back the Bills have had since Thurman Thomas. His return to the lineup next season should help the team resume the offensive effectiveness they showed at the start of 2011.

C.J. Spiller – finally got the opportunity to show his talent as an every-down back, though it came at the expense of Jackson getting hurt. Although faster than Jackson, he showed he can run between the tackles as well as outside. It will be a challenge for Chan Gailey to find enough touches next season for both Jackson and Spiller, but if he figures out how to do it the Bills’ offense will be tough to stop.

Tashard Choice – he was cut by 2 different teams before the Bills picked him up. Recruited to and coached by Gailey at Georgia Tech, he saw a lot of playing time at season’s end spelling Spiller. He didn’t really show much, but then again didn’t have much time to learn the offense. It will be a challenge for him to make the final roster in 2012. If Gailey decides to keep him in 2012, he’s the perfect candidate to be cut, then re-signed after clearing waivers.

Johnny White – he made the 2011 roster mostly for special teams contributions, and didn’t get much of a chance to run the ball with Jackson and Spiller sharing the load. Then again, when Jackson went down and opportunities arose for someone to back up Spiller, those touches went to Choice. White will have to show something in next year’s camp to make the roster again.

Corey McIntyre – the only fullback on the roster, he brings a much-needed physical presence to the offense. He rarely touches the ball, but is an effective blocker and a good special teams player. He should be a lock to return in 2012.

Bruce Hall – a tough runner, he has been in a couple of Bills’ training camps so far but never been able to crack the roster. His chances of survival are slim, but then again his path is similar to the one Fred Jackson took to where he is today.

Wide Receivers 

Stevie Johnson – despite all his immature antics, it’s imperative that the Bills get him signed. In the NFL, it’s all about accumulating as many playmakers, on both sides of the ball, as you can if your team is going to be successful. Johnson is a playmaker and has good chemistry with Fitzpatrick. Yes, his celebration act is wearing thin, but Gailey doing what a lot of coaches today don’t have the kahunas to do – benching him for the rest of the New England game – should go a long way towards curing that problem.

David Nelson – a very unselfish player, he plays a vital role in the Bills’ offense as the slot receiver. He’s the perfect possession receiver and an important weapon for the offense to succeed. He’s done a lot since making the team as an undrafted free agent 2 years ago, and will only get better.

Donald Jones – another undrafted free agent, he played well enough to push Lee Evans right off the roster in 2011, and was supposed to be a big part of the offense, but wound up battling injuries all year. He definitely should be back as a contributor and important depth player next season, but it would be wise for the Bills to try to upgrade this spot if possible, either through free agency or the draft.

Roscoe Parrish – his career was revived when Gailey arrived and began involving him in the offense, but injuries have sidetracked him big time. It may be time to cut ties with him next year and start going with younger players, since speed has always been a big part of his game and age and injuries are bound to slow him down.

Brad Smith – it’s really hard to say where on the depth chart he fits. He’s listed as the third QB, but got zero playing time there other than a few wildcat plays. He returns kickoffs but didn’t get much action there either. Injuries pushed him into the starting lineup as a receiver, and the results were mixed. Once he became a starting wideout, his other contributions disappeared. To be effective in 2012, he needs to go back to the versatile role he filled at the start of the season.

Derek Hagan – he played against the Bills while with Oakland early in the year, then signed with them after getting cut. By season’s end, all the WR injuries pushed him into a major role, and he became a frequent target for Fitzpatrick. Despite that, I don’t see him on the 2012 roster.

Naaman Roosevelt – this season was a great opportunity for the home-grown product to make his mark with the Bills. He had a great long catch-and-run play against the Giants, but his role diminished as the season wore on, and he seemed to drop a lot of balls also. He’ll have to pick up his game to make the team again in 2012, remembering that he was actually one of the final cuts this year, and only got a second shot because of all the injuries.

Kamar Aiken – I thought he showed some promise in the preseason, but when he got his opportunity to play late in the year, did basically nothing. He’s an extreme long shot to be back next season.

Ruvell Martin – a fringe player who is on the team for special teams purposes, but isn’t really that effective in that role either. He has almost no chance of coming back in 2012.

Marcus Easley – when I think of him, I think of the start of the career of former Bill Joe DeLamielleure. Joe D. was a first round draft pick who was almost forced to quit before he ever played, as doctors discovered an irregular heartbeat. He was eventually cleared to play and went on to a Hall of Fame career. Next year should be a make-or-break season for Easley physically. Here’s hoping, for the kid’s sake, it turns out similar to DeLamielleure.

David Clowney – he was cut by Carolina prior to the 2011 season and signed by the Bills to compete for a spot next year . Normally these guys are afterthoughts who don’t deserve mention. The Bills, however, have a recent  history of finding diamonds in the rough so who knows?

Tight Ends

Scott Chandler – a waiver pickup during the 2010 season, he took full advantage of his opportunity and played his way into a major role in the offense, setting a team record for touchdown receptions by a tight end despite missing some games due to injury. He should continue to be a top red zone target for Fitzpatrick next season.

Kevin Brock – signed late in the year due to injuries, he actually made a couple of plays, which is a credit to him for both earning playing time and earning the trust of Fitzpatrick.

Fendi Onobun – he was on the practice squad of 3 or 4 teams in 2011, which means either a lot of teams like him or a lot of teams let him go. He was a stop-gap signing for injury reasons and I wouldn’t expect him back.

Lee Smith – like Chandler a year earlier, he was signed off the scrap heap after being cut by the Patriots. He didn’t see a lot of action, then got hurt. He’s supposed to be a top-notch blocker.

Mike Caussin – he has hung around for a couple of years now, so he must have some value to the coaching staff, even though he hasn’t garnered a lot of playing time.

Offensive Line

Eric Wood – one of the Bills’ recent first round draft picks who has actually worked out. He was playing at a Pro Bowl level before getting hurt and although the line still played pretty well after he went down, it will be a much stronger unit next season when he’s back.

Andy Levitre – a starting guard, he was forced to move out to left tackle and even to center because of injuries. His one week at center was a real adventure, but overall he was a stalwart for the team all season and a bright spot going into 2012.

Kraig Urbik – another 2010 scrap heap signing after he was cut by the Steelers, he, like Levitre, was a warrior all year. He also played center after Wood was hurt and did an admirable job. He should be a solid fixture at one of the starting guard spots next season.

Erik Pears – another castoff signed in 2010, he played his way into the starting right tackle spot and earned himself a new contract. He did have some penalty problems late in the season that he’ll need to clean up next year.

Demetrius Bell – he is a free agent going into next season and the Bills may not pursue signing him. Gailey benched him for poor play in the preseason, then put him back in the lineup but I’m not sure the Bills are sold on him as the long-term left tackle answer.

Chris Hairston – he had a typical up-and-down rookie season, but playing the tough left tackle spot, it was mostly up. He gained valuable experience being forced to play and he, not Bell, seems to be the favored option at left tackle.

Colin Brown – he surprisingly made the final roster at the start of the season as a backup tackle. He was forced to play some at guard and didn’t do badly, but really stood out when he had to take over at center the last 2 games when Urbik got hurt. He goes into the 2012 season looking like a valuable depth player along the line.

Chad Rinehart – yet another Buddy Nix scrap heap find who provided depth on the line, mostly at guard. Just like the others already mentioned, he gets better the more game experience he gets.

Michael Jasper – drafted as a nose tackle, he spent the year on the practice squad, then was switched to the offensive line. He’s very athletic for a player his size (6’4, 383 lbs.) and the Bills feel that athletic ability could help him develop into a good tackle. He’s definitely a long-term project, however.

Sam Young – a waiver wire pickup in 2011 from Dallas, he didn’t distinguish himself much in limited playing time but will probably be given an opportunity to make the 2012 squad.

Garrison Sanborn – he’s strictly a long snapper but the fact the Bills’ special teams had no negative plays all year on special teams due to poor snaps says he’s good at the job.

I picked 9 winners out of the final week’s 16 games, so the record for the entire regular season finished at 159 correct and 97 wrong. The playoffs begin this weekend with 4 wild card games – all interesting matchups. Here are my picks:

Cincinnati at Houston – neither of these teams is very experienced in playoff football, and quarterbacks Andy Dalton of the Bengals and T.J. Yates of the Texans are in their first playoff games. I expect this to be a low-scoring defensive battle, and Wade Phillips’ defense will come out on top and lead the Texans to a win at home.

Detroit at New Orleans – I believe the Lions actually have the better defense between these 2 teams, but there’s no way they’ll slow down Drew Brees and the Saints’ passing attack in the Superdome. New Orleans wins big here.

Atlanta at New York Giants – great matchup between 2 teams that feature tough running games. The Giants’ season was a roller coaster ride again, just like last year. After watching them finish the year with impressive wins against the Jets and Cowboys to sneak into the postseason, it looks to me like the Giants are peaking at the right time, just like they did in 2007 when they won the Super Bowl. I’ll go with the G-Men to win at home.

Pittsburgh at Denver – defenses have figured out how to stop Tim Tebow, and the Steelers are one of the few teams who still play hard-nosed defense. This will be a one-sided game with Pittsburgh coming out on top.

In reviewing the Buffalo Bills’ 2011 season, I’ve decided to break down the posting into 4 parts – critiquing the front office and coaching staff in Part 1, the offensive players by position in Part 2, the same for the defensive players in Part 3, and suggestions for possible trades, free agent signings and draft choices in Part 4. Here is the first installment, and with my wild card playoff predictions to be posted on Friday, parts 2-4 will be posted next week.

Front Office

General Manager Buddy Nix now has 2 draft classes in the books for this franchise, and the results of his drafts are mixed. The play of C.J. Spiller late in the season was promising, and along with the consistent progress Marcell Dareus showed all year, I’m willing to officially proclaim Nix’s first round choices as hits, rather than misses. Six of the nine players picked by Nix in his intial draft are still with the team, but only Spiller, Alex Carrington and Arthur Moats have made much of a contribution. The other three – Marcus Easley, Torell Troup and Danny Batten – have all had any progress hindered by injuries. The 2011 draft, on the other hand, appears to be a pretty good one, based on production during the season. Dareus, Aaron Williams, Kelvin Sheppard, Da’Norris Searcy, Chris Hairston and Justin Rogers all made significant contributions, while Johnny and Chris White played some on special teams. Michael Jasper was drafted as a nose tackle but after being added to the practice squad was switched to the offensive line. He is obviously a long-term project but the organization must see some value in him. On a side note, Dick Jauron’s last draft in 2009 is widely considered to be terrible since Aaron Maybin was a bust, but the 3 picks following him were Eric Wood, Jairus Byrd and Andy Levitre so that draft produced 3 solid players.

The experiment of signing Shawne Merriman looks like a lost gamble at this point, but Nix deserves credit for taking the chance. Merriman is signed through next season and coach Chan Gailey has said he fully expects him back next year, so there is an outside chance, although very slim, that he could still contribute something. Signing Nick Barnett after Paul Posluszny left was a major upgrade, and Brad Smith looked like a good addition to the offense and kick return game until injuries forced him into the lineup as a receiver, where he had mixed results. Still, Smith’s versatility should be an asset in 2012. Tyler Thigpen was signed as a backup QB but was never really needed. Three of Nix’s scrap heap finds from 2010 – tight end Scott Chandler and OLs Kraig Urbik and Erik Pears – raised their games to new levels this season and look like solid future additions.

Coaching

I still believe Chan Gailey is the right head coach to lead the Bills out of the wilderness, but the seven game losing streak, inconsistent play of the offense, and regression and overall disorganized play by the defense all have to fall under his accountability. He made a quick move after the season by replacing George Edwards with Dave Wannstedt as defensive coordinator, but my question would be – if  Wannstedt has any answers to fix the unit, why didn’t he suggest them to Gailey THIS year. After all, he is supposedly the assistant head coach. That being said, any change to what was being done with this defense this year is a positive. I thought it was very telling that, after the Bills clobbered Denver behind a rousing defensive effort, the unit’s players were universally praising the fact that the scheme was simplified for that game, allowing the players to use their instincts and play rather than overthink. It seemed to me that all season the players looked confused in the scheme. After simplifying things, you saw Chris Kelsay play the best game of his career, Jairus Byrd show the ball-hawking skills he displayed in his rookie year, and rookies like Dareus, Williams, Sheppard and Rogers all looking active. One other feather in Gailey’s cap, in my opinion, was his decision to bench Stevie Johnson after he was flagged for another celebration. I like Gailey’s style – he’s old school, is honest when addressing the media and has the respect of the players, mostly because he is a coach who knows what he’s doing. His disciplining of Johnson will further that respect.

Sunday’s season finale for the Buffalo Bills in New England proved one thing – the team is perfectly capable of competing with the Patriots for one quarter of an NFL game. Beyond that, the difference in quality between the two organizations is wider than the Grand Canyon. It’s almost a good thing that the Bills blew a 21 point lead and not only lost, but were hammered 49-21 in the game, because now when the team’s staff does its’ post-season evaluation, it won’t be clouded by any false promise that the team finished strong with 2 consecutive wins and are somehow on the right track.

This season in the NFL, a lot of teams came back from big deficits to win games, including the Bills early in the year against the Raiders and these same Patriots.  But for a team to blow a 21 point lead and wind up losing by 4 touchdowns, well, that team needs to pull out all of the weapons in its’ losing team arsenal to accomplish that, which is what Buffalo did on Sunday. Poor tackling, blown coverages, no pressure on the opposing QB, interceptions galore (including one returned for a score, of course), another ridiculous, selfish celebration by Stevie Johnson and loads of mistakes in every phase of the game did in the Bills. A side note on Johnson’s antics: Personally, I thought the “Happy New Year” message on his undershirt was funny and in no way “taunting” of the opponent, but he knew it was going to draw a flag and did it anyway. Kudos to Chan Gailey for punishing him by benching him for the rest of the game. It was the right move and tells me that he won’t allow anybody to put himself over the team’s interest.

The Bills have lots of things to fix if they’re going to turn things around in 2012, but the biggest thing is somehow finding a way to get this team to stop doing all the little things so terribly, most of all losing their composure during games. They need to find some veteran players who have experience playing in winning organizations, either through free agency or trades, and infuse them into their roster along with the promising young players. I plan on posting a season-ending “report card” on the team later this week detailing the problems in 2011 and possible fixes for 2012. Rather than write any more depressing comments on the loss to New England, I’ll wait until then to critique the team.