Are the Buffalo Bills Heading for Disaster?
Between the injuries, penalties, and suspensions, the Buffalo Bills’ outlook for the 2016 campaign is getting hazy. Is the team heading for disaster?
The injuries were one thing, but they happen in football. The penalties? They’re fixable. The suspensions, although disappointing, are temporary. But when you combine all these elements, you start to wonder whether the Buffalo Bills are destined for disaster in 2016.
With New England Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady, suspended for the first four games of the season, the AFC East was said to be “more open” this year, which seemed like a great opportunity for the Bills.
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But with the way training camp has started, the Bills look like anything but a contender. In total, the team has lost five starters so far: middle linebacker Reggie Ragland is out for the year with a torn ACL, outside linebacker IK Enemkpali is also out for the year with a torn ACL, safety Aaron Williams is in concussion protocol, left tackle Cordy Glenn is out for the preseason due to an ankle sprain, and defensive tackle Marcell Dareus is suspended for the first four games of the season.
Of those starters, losing Dareus is the most disappointing. The Bills released a statement scolding the Pro Bowler’s decision to put himself before the team, which, given the reason he was suspended, is a completely fair statement to make.
Dareus did issue an apology through his Instagram account, but that does little to fill the gigantic void along the Bills’ defensive line. For a player who felt like he deserved to be one of the highest paid at his position, which, based off production, he does, you think he would able to remain clean for his scheduled drug tests?
Guess not.
While Glenn should be ready for Week 1, the status of Williams remains unknown, and without Williams, Dareus, Enemkpali and Ragland, the Bills defence will be hard-pressed to improve their No. 19 ranking from last season.
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Replacing these players is never easy, but when you look at the team’s depth chart, their backups are either banged up, or suspended, like Manny Lawson. Unless head coach Rex Ryan finds a creative solution, things are starting to look grim for the Bills.
You can call this a knee jerk reaction to the recent slew of bad news overtaking the Bills, but unless quarterback Tyrod Taylor and the rest of the offence can put up fantastic numbers, I don’t see how you could not be concerned about this team.
We’ve seen the way Rex Ryan teams have played over the past few years. To be blunt, their mediocre at best and only show flashes of excellence, never consistency.
This isn’t too say the Bills can’t figure things out before Week 1, but with a banged up roster, key players suspended, and three of their first four games against teams who finished with a winning record last season, the team faces an uphill climb.
Next: Bills: Who to Believe in Lawson Allegations?
Can they overcome all the adversity they’re being dealt at training camp? Or is this the beginning of a disastrous season?