Bills owe Lynch many favors

By Anthony Bialy  |   Thursday, December 18, 2008  |  Comments( 49 )

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Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch finished second on his team in yards per carry against the New York Jets on Sunday: He got just barely over 6.0 yards a rush, lagging far behind quarterback J.P. Losman, who averaged 8.5 every attempt. In fact, it was a tight battle for second, as Keith Ellison and Steve Johnson each managed exactly 6.0 yards a try. Of course, the quarterback only ran twice while the linebacker and wideout each had one respectively devious ground chance, and Lynch is being held back in more ways than statistical anomalies which keep him in the middle of his own team’s pack.

Even though there’s no need to check the box score to prove that Lynch ran well in New Jersey, those who need numbers for verification will be satisfied to discover that he got to 127 yards with only 21 tries. Importantly, they were yards he earned virtually alone. Formations and deception can help, but football is ultimately about whether the ball carrier pictures himself as the hammer and not the anvil. Obviously, the Cal man did the striking against the Jets, and without much trickery, either: 19 of Lynch’s carries came on first or second down, so it wasn’t simply a series of relatively cheap draws on long thirds that puffed up his gains.

Plus, Losman gained a stupendously low 3.8 yards per passing attempt, so it wasn’t as if Jet safeties had to fear deep attacks. Even with usually remote foes milling close to the snap, Lynch still ran for immeasurably long periods each time before being stopped.

That’s what makes the decision to pass on that disastrous, now-infamous second down near the game’s end particularly insulting. Lynch deserves every chance possible to smack and break opponents, and denying him that opportunity is like driving a child to Disney World, pointing out the Cinderella Castle from the parking lot, and heading home. Actually, the Bills’ 2008 has been like that in general, and Lynch is merely the biggest primary sufferer as those around him fail to rise to his level.

It’s only Lynch’s second year, and it’s unfair to compare him to someone who was both the best player in franchise history and one of the game’s best backs ever, but his career is taking on the tone of O.J. Simpson’s. Before he pursued his post-football career of playing Detective Nordberg, ending lives, and forcefully acquiring memorabilia, some may remember Simpson as an indescribably stupendous rusher who appeared in exactly one playoff game during his career.

The difference is that Simpson didn’t break out until his fourth season, notably only averaging 13.8 carries per game over his first three campaigns; on the other hand, Lynch is already the featured back who has been handed the ball 19.2 times every NFL outing, which unfortunately means his clock is ticking. The only players with shorter career arcs than rushers are brutal rushers, and the Bills need to build a solid framework around Lynch so he’s leading the team to the playoffs instead of wasting determination.

The problem is that this process needs to start the season before last, so they’re already behind. The fact that Lynch wasn’t one of the two Bills who scored a rushing touchdown against the Jets is a frustrating oddity, too, and it’s just further proof that he’s going unappreciated. The Bills can start by using Lynch wisely for longer than only the first 57 minutes or so of games.
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CommentsComments: 49  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Kegman		09:53 AM
12/18/2008
AB, I agree with you - Lynch didn't often get the chances or support this season, but still got his 1K yards and set a standard...
No.2
cwc41		10:19 AM
12/18/2008
But remember, Dick jauron is a well-educated, stand-up guy, loved and respected by people everywhere. How can anyone question...
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No.3
ba bye		10:42 AM
12/18/2008
With a win the Broncos cinch the AFC West, at home. The Broncos have a great O-line, a Pro Bowl QB, Cutler, and great receivers...
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