Have the Buffalo Bills found a winning attitude?

We're heading into the 13th week of the 2010 NFL season. To say the least it has been a very odd season. I can't even decide who I will pick for my weekly pool these days. The one thing this season that has been a constant is the Buffalo Bills and their close games. They hold a dismal record of 2-9, but you can never pick against them. Since their bye in week 6 the Bills are 2-4. In all four of those games they have lost by a stinkin' field goal, and in three of the games the loss has come in OT. Those four heart wrenching losses have also been against four division leading teams. The Bills aren’t barely losing to the bottom feeders of the NFL, these are high caliber teams.

For the first time in years the Bills have players making the highlight reels. Stevie Johnson, yes who is so good he can tweet to GOD and Ryan "The Wonderlic Wizard" Fitzpatrick. Every week the opponent’s fans are talking about the Bills, not as an easy win but as a team they fear to face. Stevie is having a pro bowl type year and Fitzy has played extremely well. The Harvard grad has played so well there is talk that the Bills should forego a quarterback in the early rounds of this upcoming draft. If you were to watch a Bills game these days you would think Stevie Johnson is the highest paid player in Bills history, not Lee Evans. Stevie has come out of nowhere and explode onto the NFL radar. Let’s forget about the dropped TD he had last week against Pittsburg. He has been a stud, with 796 yds. receiving and nine TD's. The most impressive stat is his YAC (yards after catch) for wide receivers. Only behind Percy Harvin with 314 YAC, Johnson has 305 YAC. That is an impressive number for a 7th round pick out of Kentucky.

There are some big questions concerning this up coming off season, and the potential 2011 lockout. If everything works out for both teams and players, then the Bills could take the next step forward and possibly to the playoffs. Buddy Nix the Bills GM and ex GM of San Diego has built championship caliber teams before. Between 2001 and 2008 Nix continuously drafted pro bowl caliber players. He helped turn the Chargers from a constant loser to a perennial playoff contender. With Nix expertise in drafting NFL talent and Chan Gaileys offensive mind the Bills seem to be heading in the right direction. Something that hasn’t been seen in Buffalo since the late 80's.

So next year’s draft more than likely holds a top five pick for Buffalo. Combined with the heart and competitive nature of this team, the AFC east could be much tougher than it already is. New England is going through a "re building" season and stands at 9-2 along with the loud mouthed Jets. If Nix and Gailey can add a few key players to this team I would be willing to say that Buffalo will contend with them for the AFC east lead in 11'. Along with Stevie Johnson we will pray to GOD the Bills continue this improvement.