Buffalo Bills Odds – Bills fuel combustible situation with Terrell Owens
With the acquisition of Terrell Owens, Buffalo Bills odds have garnered the attention of the online sports betting community. Bills betting fans know adding Owens gives the Buffalo its biggest superstar ever, but the question remains—will the receiver ruin the team’s chemistry as he has everywhere else?
Buffalo Bills odds: +5500 to win Super Bowl XLIV
- Addition of Owens will open up Bills offense
- Success depends on quarterback Edwards’ development
- Young defense is talented but must step up
Buffalo Bills betting fans are expecting the Owens’ presence to be dangerous; the situation in Buffalo is already testy as head coach Dick Jauron somehow hung onto his job after a 2-8 finish to the season.
On the field, Owens will attract lots of defensive attention, which will relieve pressure from the rest of the offense. Defenses can no longer key in on Lee Evans, and the backfield tandem of Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson will have plenty more room to run.
Even so, the Bills betting community is still tentative to call this offense explosive because of the scene in the trenches. Their NFL betting odds improving don’t look so hot considering they traded away Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters and released left guard Derrick Dockery. If the offensive line can’t protect, the Bills’ offense will get stuck in its tracks.
The key to the Bills’ season is the growth and development of third-year starting quarterback Trent Edwards. The Bills betting community was excited to see him lead the team to a 4-1 start, but Edwards finished November and December with just six touchdowns, seven interceptions and five fumbles. Worse yet, his hot 4-0 start was against four teams that cumulatively finished 16-48.
Even if the offensive line is a little shaky, the Bills odds of scoring more points this year figures to be pretty good with Owens in the fold. But the Bills also have to pick up the slack on the other side of the ball.
The Bills’ have developed a young, talented core of players over the past few seasons but, for this team to be a serious power player, they have to show that they can start slowing some opponents down.
The defense did a lot of things well last year, like leading the league in fewest penalty yards and finishing ninth in defensive third-down conversion percentage, but it didn’t make many big plays. The Bills had a -8 turnover ratio and just 22 takeaways, which tied them for the eighth fewest. They also generated just 24 sacks, ranking 29th in the NFL.
For Bills odds to improve, their defense—particularly young players like Donte Whitner, Paul Posluzny, Ko Simpson and Leodis McKelvin—must step up.
The major hurdle for the Bills will be their AFC East competition, which includes three-playoff caliber teams. If the Bills fail to join that group or are out of the race by midseason, the situation could get ugly with Owens, a proven team cancer when the season starts to sour.
There are too many “ifs” for Buffalo to succeed this season. If Edwards develops, if the offensive line gels, if Owens behaves, if the defense steps up, if Jauron hasn’t lost the team, then the Bills could be a Super Bowl contender. But in the loaded AFC, that’s too many caveats to trust the Bills.
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Stan Simmons first tasted football through the college game, but his football handicapping has strictly focused on the professional sport. Not many people devote as much time to the NFL as Simmons. For six days a week he works, labors and handicaps the sport, and on the seventh he rests as the games play out. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
