For the better part of the last four seasons Lee Evans has seen much of the same coverage during the regular season. Whether it's a safety rolled over the top or bracket coverage designed to hem the deep threat in, Evans has been the focus of attention for opposing defenses in the passing game. Following the addition of Terrell Owens that's all about to change.
The question is how?
No one knows for sure how opponents will choose to try and cover Evans and Owens, while still paying respect to Buffalo's running game, but Evans can't wait to find out.
"It'll be interesting to see just how defenses approach us as a whole, offensively, so that's what we still are waiting to see what happens with that," he said. "Adjustments will certainly have to be made, but you know when you look at it know, you get the chance to switch your formations and dictate some things to the defense and see how they react."
Dictating to a defense was difficult at times for the Bills attack last season, but that figures to be a bygone issue this season.
"With me, it's an added weapon to what they already have and what they had last year, so we're looking to go full force with what we have," said Owens.
"You can see how (Owens) and Lee (Evans) are going to work together," said Donte Whitner following the first week of OTAs. "(Owens) makes a play and then you can come back and go to Lee Evans. We had single coverage on the outside and he we have a good running game, so I'm excited to see those guys work against some other competition."
No matter what Buffalo's 2009 opponents throw at them defensively, Evans knows that he's likely to see fewer double teams with Owens occupying the other side of the formation.
"I think it will certainly drop," said Evans. "I was double-covered a lot last year. I think that it will drop. It's hard to say by how much. I think teams will just try to schematically do different things that take people away at certain times, but it will be on the quarterback to make the right read on what the defense is trying to do, and see who's open and make the play. We'll see."
There's no question that the onus will be on Trent Edwards to recognize the defensive approach and react accordingly by distributing the ball to the right weapon. But Edwards embraces that responsibility knowing the rewards could be substantial.
"They're going to try and stop Marshawn (Lynch) in the run game and they're going to try and stop Terrell and Lee on the outside and you can't really do both, so it's my job when we do throw the ball to get those guys an accurate football and when we are running the football, it's get us in the right run play and allow Marshawn to run the football," said Edwards. "It's exciting to know we have those weapons on our offense, and it's exciting to know that it's my responsibility and I'm willing to do that."
And while Evans appreciates the headaches he and the rest of Buffalo's offensive weapons can give opponents, he's more concerned with getting it all in sync so that their execution takes full advantage of the capabilities they have as an offense.
"You look at it on paper and you can theorize and do all of this stuff, but it's about playing," said Evans. "We'll certainly have more opportunities than we had in the past and it's just about making it work. I think it will be certainly a lot of fun going into it, and as we go through the season, but it's not going to be easy. It's going to be a lot of work, but the potential is there."
