FanPost

2009 vs. 2012: Offense Edition

Updated on Wednesday November 21 to fix the formatting and added the poll to match the Defense edition.

The Bolts from the Blue (SD blog) recently did an article comparing 2009 to 2012... Made me think...are we better than our 2009 team? My first insight was…we HAVE to be, right????

Buddy Nix left the Chargers in 2009 to come to Buffalo and eventually become our bright and shiny GM, 2009 was also the year that Dick Jauron was fired along with the entire coaching staff. 2009 was also a tough year where nearly everyone ended up on IR...yet the Bills still ended up going 6-10. It is possible that the 2012 team will be around 6-10, maybe 7-9 (who knows...maybe better??)

Let's do a quick roster comparison to see where we are...and I am NOT including IR players…that means you David Nelson…

Quarterbacks

2009

2012

Winner

Trent Edwards

Ryan Fitzpatrick

2012

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Tyler Thigpen

2009

Brian Brohm

Brad Smith

2009

Final Verdict: 2012

Tough matchup here. I do like the 2009 QB depth a lot better than the Bills in 2012. 2009 had some youth in the QB position and a highly regarding #3 QB to be groomed for depth. However, depth is just a funny way of saying...backups.

Only the starter really matters and I'd take Fitz over Edwards any day and any year. Fitz has moxy and is a leader but I couldn't think of any other reason to take Fitz over Edwards. Fitz does play lights out at times and gets more than the 150 yards a game that Trent would get…

The victory goes to Fitz and 2012.

Running Backs

2009

2012

Winner

Marshawn Lynch

CJ Spiller

2012

Fred Jackson

Fred Jackson

2009

Xavier Omen

Tashard Choice

2012

Final Verdict: 2012

Another tough matchup here. We have 2009 Freddy vs. 2012 Freddy…that has got to be a MTV Claymation battle royale. 2009 featured the same dual RB system as we are seeing in 2012. Lynch / Jackson vs. Spiller / Jackson.

Before we immediately give it to 2012, we must look at Lynch vs. Spiller. Lynch averaged under 4 YPC and Spiller is incredibly above 7 YPC. When Lynch wasn’t running over pedestrians, he was running over LBers and is continuing that in Seattle. Despite Lynch’s bruising run style, the choice is clear that Spiller (2012) is an upgrade over Lynch (2009). T

he challenge comes down to Freddy. 2009 Fred was returning kickoffs, returning punts and doing a great job at that as well, he was his constant consistent self in 2009 and is the same in 2012. He’s been plagued by injuries and fumbling in 2012 so I would take the more versatile 2009 Freddy in this showdown.

Omen was the #3 RB so he matches up against Choice, Choice is a much better depth RB than Omen.

At the end of the day, I declared this a “push”. Talent-wise, I think 2012 is more talented. But the coaching staff isn’t using Spiller as much as they should. If we had the 2009 backfield in 2012, I think we would see similar production to what we have today. 2009 Freddy > 2012 Freddy but 2012 Spiller > 2012 Lynch. With the 2 RB system we have, that is clearly a “push”.

Wide Receiver

2009

2012

Winner

Lee Evans

Stevie Johnson

2012

Terrell Owens

Donald Jones

2009

Josh Reed

TJ Graham

Push

James Hardy

Marcus Easley

Push

Roscoe Parrish

Ruvell Martin

2009

Steve Johnson

2009

Final Verdict: 2009

Surprisingly, this really isn’t a tough matchup… 2009 is a far superior WR corps with the exception of the #1 WR.

I would take 2012 Stevie Johnson over 2009 Lee “One Route” Evans. However, Terrell Owens is a FAR superior # 2 WR than Donald Jones. TJ Graham has more athleticism than Reed but production has been similar so I’d argue a PUSH in that category.

Hardy had 1 reception for 9 yards…Easley has 0 receptions – but Hardy does have a NFL TD. Parrish vs. Martin – no comparison, I wouldn’t trust Ruvell Martin to catch a cold…

Finally, some guy in 2009 named “Steve” Johnson with long dreads. There is no 6th WR on the Bills right now but I think that guy “Steve” might turn out to be something some day…

Tight End

2009

2012

Winner

Shawn Nelson

Scott Chandler

2012

Justin Stupar

Dorin Dickerson

2012

Joe Klopfenstein

Lee Smith

2012

Final Verdict: 2012

This is another runaway matchup…

2012 is a far superior TE corp. Scott Chandler is the pass catching TE that we’ve been wanting for a while and is just a huge target at 6’7”. Shawn Nelson was more athletic but he just could never pull a full season together. Stupar wasn’t super and Klopfenstein sounds like an Irish carbomb (you “klop” the glass in the stein).

It is sad when you look at the TE situation in 2009…just sad…

Offensive Line

2009

2012

Winner

Demetress Bell (LT)

Cordy Glenn (LT)

2012

Andy Levitre (LG)

Andy Levitre (LG)

2012

Geoff Hangarter (C)

Eric Wood (C)

2012

Eric Wood (RG)

Craig Urbik (RG)

2012

Kirk Chambers (RT)

Chris Hairston (RT)

2012

Final Verdict: 2012

Jason Peters had just left in 2009 and we replaced him with a 7th round pick named Bell… Overall the interior is relatively the same. I’d take the more experienced and stronger 2012 versions of Levitre and Wood over the younger rookies of 2009. The biggest difference between 2009 and 2012? Youth and solid play from the tackle position. Cordy very well may be the next pro bowl LT for the Bills.

2012 is just a much better line!

Summary

Position

Winner

Quarterback

2012

Runningback

Push

Wide Receiver

2009

Tight End

2012

Offensive Line

2012

Final Tally

2009 (1)

2012 (3)

Push (1)

Based on the numbers, it looks like we are marginally better. I think that is pretty consistent with the “look & feel” test as well. I don’t think the offense is significantly better…in some areas you might even say we are worse since we have no young “future” QB. While Brohm didn’t work out, I think that the 2012 Bills seriously lack a backup QB and we’ve been lucky that Fitz hasn’t gotten injured yet.

Spiller is a homerun threat, something we lacked in the backfield in 2009 and our OL is significantly better on the outsides. If this team can bring in a quality young QB and a better #2 WR, this offense will be light years ahead of 2009.

Now if we could only change the 2012 play calling…

So what do you think? Is our 2012 offense significantly better?

Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.