The Redemption of Stevie Styles

Why am I so serious? Mainly because the Bills have renewed their patent on choking. No, this season was not going to end in the playoffs, Trent Edwards starting the first 2 games essentially guaranteed that. There's no arguing, however, that a third straight win, and one coming against a much more talented Pittsburgh team, would've been one hell of a statement for everyone in the league who does not believe in the Bills. We WNYers and fans of the Bills know, we actually do have a team, a competitive team who defines parity in the NFL. Going toe-to-toe with the like of Baltimore, NE and Pitt, it looks like this team, this franchise, might be on the verge of a turnaround. Last Sunday's loss was a reminder that we've got a ways to go yet.

This team needs to learn how to win, plain and simple. The offense has been clicking especially since Action Jackson's legs have come under him, and the defense is really coming into it's own. Kyle Williams is making a case for the pro bowl, and Whitner and Poz are both quietly having career years, missing only the game-changing plays that a probowler seems to have in his resume.

What is really of interest this week is how Stevie Johnson responds to "the drop" which could really be called, "the drop game." He hit the national spotlight in a very Buffalo way, being humiliated. Still, the man is class. He took the podium on his own volition after the game and faced the critics head on, and that alone is enough for me to believe that he is willing to put in the work to make himself feel he can overcome the drop stigma and thus continue to perform as he has performed all year since Fitz came under center.

This week, facing off against grand-pappy Favre, is not going to be easy on the offense. If there's one thing that the Vikes are known for aside from dick shots on their phones, it's a tough defense. Buffalo has put up some monster numbers and had some great games versus tough defenses. Let's see if they can put up another great game and close it out this time. It's the finale that this team lacks and what sets their 2-9 record apart from a 7-4 record which could easily be their record if they had been better at finishing games.

One thing's for sure, this looks like a team. A real team that is composed of working parts, not something forced to work in a certain way, which is what we saw with Jauron. Gailey had made the most of the talent he's been given and I'm looking forward to the Bills' future with Chan as our head coach. Stevie, exact your revenge on the field vs. the Vikes.