TWENTY QUESTIONS
by Kevin Ezell


WR Lee Evans is one of the few sure things on
Buffalo's depth chart

The Buffalo Bills enter the season with many questions surrounding them. Is J.P. Losman ready to step up and finally live up to expectations? Can the rookies such as Marshawn Lynch and Paul Posluszny step up and contribute right away? How will this defense survive after losing playmakers such as Nate Clements and London Fletcher?

Losman has continued to mature as a quarterback, and it looks like he is ready to take another step forward. He improved from 64.9 passer rating to 84.9 in 2006. Look for him and wide receiver Lee Evans to continue to have great success. Evans has emerged to become a premium receiver in the league, and he should only continue to grow should Losman develop at a faster pace. But Evans cannot be the only target; Josh Reed or Peerless Price need to take the next step and become a reliable target for Losman.

Lynch, the rookie tailback out of Cal, will need to contribute to the running game since the Bills lost former starter Willis McGahee to Baltimore. Lynch is a fast and elusive back who should be able to provide a break-away threat if the line create some holes for him. If the Bills can be successful on the ground, their offense should put up a lot of points this season.

The defense is the huge question mark for the Bills, who may have to outgun teams to have any chance. Clements signed a huge contract with the Niners during the offseason, leaving the Bills quite vulnerable in the secondary. Donte Whitner had a good rookie year at safety, and he will need to anchor the defense in the passing game. The play of the cornerbacks will be critical to the success of this defense.

Fletcher, the team's top tackler last season, is no longer with the Bills, and they will need Pozluszny to contribute right away to help fill this huge hole. The defensive line is anchored by Aaron Schobel, who had 14.5 sacks last year. He will need to continue to pressure the quarterback to help the thin secondary.

Do not expect too much from the Bills this year. The offense should be able to put up some points but they lost too many playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. Look for this defense to struggle to get off the field. I think the Bills are looking at a five or six win season this year.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO:
The offense develops into one of the most explosive in the NFL. The defensive unit has a lot of players step up and is able to create turnovers. It is possible for the Bills to sneak into the playoffs, but very unlikely.

WORST-CASE SCENARIO:
If Losman fails to continue to develop and the Bills fail to run the ball effectively, this team could only manage four wins. The offense will have to play well for this team to win some games because the defense will need time to come around.