Cv\/-» vi4-o Behrend Beacon IA I I I 1 I I September 11,2009 Y"* a* www.thebehrendbeacon.com I\J PRO FOOTBALL Bills and Browns aim to be contenders this season The Buffalo Bills open the 2009 season on Monday Night Football against their AFC East rival, the New England Patriots on Sept 14. The Bills finished with a discouraging 7-9 record last season, after shooting out of the gates to a 5-1 record. The biggest offseason news for the Bills would have to be the quisition of wide receiver Terrell Owens Owens departed the Dallas Cowboys, signing a one-year contract with the Bills, worth 6.5 mil lion dollars. Quarterback Trent Edwards should feel more confident in the pocket this year with the addi tion of Owens, who joins six-year veteran Lee Evans and eight-year veteran Josh Reed. Buffalo made a key decision in the firing of of fensive coordinator Turk Schonert, 10 days be fore the start of the regular season. Jauron relieved Schonert of his duties, due to the lack of offensive improvements. Bills’ quarterback coach Alex Van Pelt was se lected as the new offensive coordinator by head coach Dick Jauron. The Bills also made another big move by re leasing seven-year veteran and two-year starter Langston Walker. 2008 Statistics: Buffalo Offense Passing Cmp% Yds TD Int Trent Edwards 65.5 2,699 11 10 J.P. Losman 60.6 584 2 5 Rushing Yds Yds/Att TD Marshawn Lynch 1,036 4.1 8 Fred Jackson 571 4.4 3 Receiving Rec Yds Yds/Rec TD Lee Evans 63 1,017 16.1 8 Josh Reed 56 597 10.7 1 Marshawn Lynch 47 300 6.4 1 Robert Royal 33 351 10.6 1 Defense Tkl Solo Sk Int FF FR Paul Posluszny 110 87 0 111 Kawika Mitchell 82 57 4 2 2 0 Terrence McGee 66 61 0 3 0 0 Bryan Scott 64 51 1 0 1 1 Ryan Denney 61 50 4 0 1 0 Beat The Experts has now been changed to Beat the Editors. We have decided that since we are not quite experts, editors is a more fitting title. Nick and Shawn, though, still feel that they are better fans than the rest of Behrend; someone must knock them down a level. Play against us by e maiing your picks to Nick Blake (npbso4l@psu.edu) or Shawn Annarelli (smaslB9@psu.edu). Walker will be replaced on the Buffalo offen sive line by rookie Demetrius Bell. It is a risky move, but one Van Pelt is comfort able with. NICK BLAKE '.ports editor “He’s a great athlete, a great talent,” Van Pelt said. “The only thing he lacks right now is expe rience and he’ll get tons of that coming up real quick.” Penn State Alum and linebacker Paul Posluszny led the Buffalo defense last year with 110 tackles and will surly be one of the leaders for the Bills this season. The Bills have finished 7-9 in the past three seasons. They hope that with the addition of Owens and a new offensive coordinator they will be able to climb out of the AFC cellar and be come a playoff team once again. Jacksonville (« Indi Detroit (« N. Orleans Philly (