2013 Buffalo Preview | Predictions
The Bills have been trying to circle the wagons for quite a long time now with just one winning season since going 11-5 in 1999.
2013 Bills Futures
- Super Bowl Odds: 150/1
- AFC Conference Odds: 66/1
- AFC East Odds: +900
- NFL Regular Season Wins: Over 6.5 (+110) Under 6.5 (-140)
2013 Bills Predictions:
- Place they’ll finish in AFC East: 3rd
- Place they’ll finish in AFC Conference: 10th
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After back-to-back six-win seasons in 2011 and 2012, they decided to hand the reigns over to former Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone to see if he is the answer to turning things around. This could be a tall task for a coach with limited NFL experience, but he did serve as New Orleans’ offensive coordinator when the Saints led the NFL in total offense in 2006.
The first major addition to the offense was free agent center Doug Legursky to plug a hole up front. Buffalo then signed free agent quarterback Kevin Kolb, who was released by Arizona after a failed stint as the team’s starter.
Marrone was obviously not convinced that Kolb could be a starter for his team, so the Bills went way out on a limb by drafting former Florida State signal caller EJ Manual with the 16th overall pick in the first round.
I guess anything would be an improvement for an offense that was ranked 25th in the NFL in passing last season.
Look for the Bills to remain a run first team behind CJ Spiller, who gained 1,244 yards on 207 carries last year. They ended the season ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing with an average of 138.6 yards a game. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Buffalo has its issues on defense as well. It was ranked 22nd in the NFL in total yards allowed in 2012 and while it was respectable against the pass, it had major issues stopping the run. The biggest concern was the defense’s inability to get off the field last season which translated to giving-up an average of 27.2 points a game.
There were only six teams in the NFL that had a higher scoring average.
Marrone turned to free agency to address this side of the ball by signing defensive tackle Alan Branch and linebacker Manny Lawson. He added some depth by selecting linebacker Kiko Alonso in the second round and free safety Duke Williams in the fourth.
Whether or not this enough to make Bills any better in 2013 remains to be seen, but it does appear to be a step in the right direction.
The reality with this team’s projected win total of 6.5 is that Buffalo has not won more than six games in the last four seasons and with no significant improvement on either side of the ball, it is hard to see the Bills eclipsing this total in 2013.
On paper they look like a six-win team but the instability at the quarterback position could easily result in a drop to just four or five victories this year.
With NFL Preseason Week 3 games here Cappers Picks NFL Football handicappers have been hard at work putting out the team by team Football Predictions and NFL Season Previews for those of us who can’t wait.
Bet on the Super Bowl XLVIII winner, plus 2013 Conference and Divisional winners today.
