But then the wheels fell off.

Buffalo won just three more games the rest of the season, one in each month. Injuries certainly played a part, as they do on any team. But Edwards seemed to regress a bit in midseason before getting hurt and missing a few games – Buffalo lost both of those with J.P. Losman starting.

To kick start that offense, the Bills shockingly signed Terrell Owens to open up the passing game. And T.O. usually has a good first season with a team before turning into a team-killer, so that bodes well. But that offense also lost its best offensive lineman, trading Jason Peters to Philly.

Coach Dick Jauron got a contract extension through 2011, but almost no one believes he will be around next year if this team finishes 7-9 for the fourth straight season – which is exactly what I project.

Here is the Bills' 2009 schedule, and we’ll break it down after:
Sept. 14 at New England Patriots, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:05 p.m.
Sept. 27 vs. New Orleans Saints, 4:05 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Miami Dolphins, 4:05 p.m.
Oct. 11 vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.
Oct. 18 at New York Jets, 4:15 p.m.
Oct. 25 at Carolina Panthers, 4:05 p.m.
Nov. 1 vs. Houston Texans, 1 p.m.
Week 9: Bye
Nov. 15 at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m.
Nov. 22 at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m.
Nov. 29 vs. Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m.
Dec. 3 vs. New York Jets, 8:20 p.m. (Toronto)
Dec. 13 at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m.
Dec. 20 vs. New England Patriots, 1 p.m.
Dec. 27 at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m.
Jan. 3 vs. Indianapolis Colts CBS 1 p.m.

Strength of schedule: 6th (opponents combined to go 146-110, .570, in 2008)
Projected record: 7-9
Projected Bodog over/under total: 7 ½
Bodog odds to win AFC: 22/1
Bodog odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: 50/1

When looking at the Bills' first three games, remember that Lynch has been suspended for those, which will hurt substantially. Lynch had eight touchdowns and rushed for 1,036 yards last season, reaching his first Pro Bowl. Fred Jackson should carry much of the load.

That Monday night opener against the Patriots is must-see TV, as it's Owens' debut in a Buffalo uniform and the return of Tom Brady for New England. Is there any chance the jacked-up Pats lose in Brady's first game since Week 1 of last year? No way. Buffalo certainly can and should beat the Bucs (their first trip to Buffalo for a regular season game) and Saints in their first two home games, although no doubt it would be nice to face those teams in the cold. That should make Buffalo 2-1 in September.

In October, Buffalo has three road games, including two more on the road in the division. The Bills were 0-6 in the AFC East last year, so it's hard to see them winning on the road in the division this year. Buffalo no doubt will be favored to handle Cleveland at home but will be a dog at Carolina, a 2008 playoff team. That's a 1-3 month, folks.

The November schedule features four potential playoff teams. The Bills won at Jacksonville last year, but that was early when Buffalo was rolling. Let's say they split, winning both home games and dropping both on the road.

In December, the Bills host their second straight game in Toronto, and it didn't go so well in Canada for the home team last year. But I can see Buffalo winning that game and again a week later at a rebuilding Kansas City. So at 7-6, the Bills will have playoff dreams. But then come three Super Bowl contenders to finish the season. New England has won 11 in a row against the Bills and five straight in Buffalo, so good luck there. I can't see the Bills being favored in any of their final three games (assuming each opponent has something to play for) or winning any of them.

That's another 7-9 season for Jauron and probably a pink slip. And then Owens moves on to another team, and the circus follows.

Get all your NFL futures at Bodog.

Last spring Owens told the Dallas Morning News that he "definitely" wanted to finish his NFL career in Dallas and enter the Hall of Fame as a Cowboy.  I'm thinking that if he's hoping to get into the Hall of Fame he'd better find himself another team — and fast. (Can you imagine Owens back in Philadelphia? Or how about in Oakland? The New England Patriots might be a good fit, too.)

Currently in the Bodog Sportsbook the odds on the Dallas Cowboys to win the 2009 Super Bowl are 10/1 without Terrell Owens.

They are still a solid contender at 3-1, but now Terrell Owens is mouthing off about not getting the ball enough and coach Wade Phillips needs to fix the situation fast.

Good thing they host the struggling Bengals on Sunday.

If it is not bad enough for the 0-4 Bengals, they may be without Carson Palmer again. That won't help a club that ranks 31st in total offense and 30th in scoring, while Chad Ocho Cinco has been limited to 11 receptions for 116 yards.

If the Cowboys don't cater to TO, the running game should be able to get back on track against the Bengals, who are 28th in the league in rush defense. Get your NFL betting in the Bodog Sportsbook now.

10. Rushing yards future – This could be a tough one to pick this season with LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson gunning for the title. If one of them doesn’t win it, that would be a big shocker.

9. Patriots win total – Hopefully anyone who staked the Patriots to go Over their win total before Tom Brady went down didn’t bet all they had.

8. AFC East futures – See above. Patriots. Brady hurt. The Jets and Bills are good. You get the picture, right?

7. All Matt Cassel props – Now instead of hearing Brett Favre’s name every waking hour it will be Cassel drawing the media’s attention. He’ll also draw a ton of betting attention from props bettors.

6. Eddie Royal vs. Brandon Marshall – The rookie Royal made such a fantastic debut people are wondering how many balls he’ll lose to Marshall now that his suspension is over. For Week 2 Royal is a huge underdog versus Marshall on receiving yards.

5. Seahawks receiver woes – All of the Seahawks’ starting wide receivers are currently injured: Deion Branch, Bobby Engram and Nate Burleson. That leaves Courtney Taylor and Logan Payne fighting for balls, and fighting in the props.

4. New England Patriots game lines – What a difference one player makes. In Week 1 the Pats were 16-point favorites. In Week 2 they’re 1.5-point underdogs.

3. Packers at Lions – Maybe the oddsmakers aren’t sold on Aaron Rodgers yet. They’ve only listed the Pack as a 3-point favorite versus the Lions in Week 2.

2. Eagles and Cowboys on Monday night – The NFC East rivals meet up in Week 2 and there’s already a prop asking if the winner of this game will win the East.

1. More Eagles and Cowboys – There are too many good wagers open in this game to leave it alone. Terrell Owens has three big props, and McNabb and Romo face off in a fight for passing yards.

Terrell Owens will make his comic debut this Wednesday. Tears are expected. (AP Images)

T.O. is bringing his wacky game to the MyNetworkTV show Under One Roof. He’ll be starring as the long-lost brother of the star of the show, Favor Flav.

In what will no doubt be a gut-busting-roll-around-on-the-floor-laughing-out-loud-knee-slapping-extravaganzza Ownes will try to convince Flav and his costar Kelly Perine that they’re brothers in hopes that Flav will invest some of his wads of cash in a website.

"I see dollar signs," Owens said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I'm trying to kind of smooth my way into the family, but Flav is not buying it. It's a lot of funny dialogue. It was a good time. It might also be a first step toward a second career.”

Good God, you just can’t make this crap up.

You can tune in, or should you choose, make a special note to avoid it, at 8 p.m. ET this Wednesday night.

In the meantime you can check out Bodog's NFL prop bets and their wacky celebrity bets.