National Football League

Bills hope Spiller is a savior

Published Aug. 13, 2010 6:10 p.m. ET

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Alex Marvez

Unlike many of his peers, C.J. Spiller had little interest in this week’s release of Madden NFL 2011.

He’s too busy trying to prove worthy of his gaudy “speed” and “acceleration” video game ratings in the real world.

Spiller has intentionally taken a Survivor-like approach to his first Buffalo Bills training camp. The only luxury item in the rookie running back’s dorm room is a laptop so Spiller can stay close with his four-year-old daughter Shania and update his Twitter account (http://twitter.com/cjspiller).

“I’m focused on trying to have a successful season,” Spiller told FOXSports.com on Wednesday after practice at St. John Fisher College. “I’m barebones. This is your job, your livelihood. It’s what you want to do for the rest of your life. I want to make sure I do it perfect. Even though it won’t be, I want to do my best to get it there. I don’t want any distractions. You don’t have to think about football all day, but at the same time, I don’t want to get on video games right now.”

Such maturity has reinforced the decision by Bills’ management to make the 23-year-old Spiller the No. 9 overall selection in April’s draft. The same goes for the explosive bursts Spiller has produced since missing the first week of training camp in a contract holdout (he ultimately signed a five-year contract with a reported $20.8 million guaranteed).

“You obviously look at the big-play potential,” new Bills head coach Chan Gailey said. “That’s what you hope you get out of the guy whether it’s running or catching the ball or whatever it might be. Going down the field with a 12-play drive and sticking it in the end zone, that gets harder and harder every year.”

So has finding reasons for optimism about the Bills.

The AFC’s most dominant franchise in the early 1990s has gone an entire decade without a playoff appearance. The 2009 signing of wide receiver Terrell Owens generated buzz but didn’t translate into wins. The Bills finished 6-10 and fired head coach Dick Jauron long before the season was over.

Besides being wracked by injuries, subpar quarterback play and coaching turmoil, Bills wide receiver Lee Evans said that team “just didn’t gel” internally.

“It’s hard to win like that when you’re fighting against yourself just as much as you’re playing against another team,” said Evans, who hasn’t experienced a winning season since his rookie year in 2004.

Gailey sensed the Bills were suffering from “Chicken Little Syndrome” when the offensive guru interviewed for the job.

“If you heard people talking, you got the sense the sky was falling,” he said.

Further adding to the disappointment of Bills faithful: The hiring of Gailey and Buddy Nix -- a long-time scout with no previous general manager experience -- to run football operations after the team had reportedly courted bigger names like Bill Cowher, Mike Shanahan and Jon Gruden. Nix didn’t make any marquee free-agent signings during the offseason, following through on the club’s newfound commitment to build through the draft.

After so many losing seasons and another one likely in 2010, patience isn’t what Bills Backers want to hear.

“There’s a certain percentage of the fan base that is looking for the shiny toy,” Bills CEO Russ Brandon admitted. “We’re looking for more wins. We’re building a foundation here to sustain success over the long term. I think (Nix and Gailey) are poised to do that.”

Spiller is a good place to start.

The Bills already had two solid running backs with 1,000-yard credentials in Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. But when left tackles Trent Williams (Redskins) and Russell Okung (Seahawks) were among the first six players selected, Nix stuck firmly to his draft board and chose the player sitting atop it.

“We took a lot of criticism because we didn’t draft for need,” Nix said. “If anything, we were pretty solid at running back. But if you take the best player, you can’t have too many of those. That’s our theory. (Gailey) will find a way to use them.”

Bills owner Ralph Wilson Jr. himself had called the Bills a “really dull” team in recent years. Spiller should help change that. Gailey compares Spiller to Reggie Bush and Percy Harvin as a multipurpose threat from his college exploits at Clemson. Besides being used as a rusher, Spiller could very well be deployed in Buffalo’s return game and even split at wide receiver to get the football in his hands. Spiller will have his first NFL chance to showcase those skills during Friday night’s preseason opener at Washington.

“He’s a game-breaker,” said quarterback Trent Edwards, who hasn’t played with many during his three seasons in Buffalo.

Spiller is well aware that he can become the kind of individual superstar Buffalo has lacked since the Jim Kelly-Thurman Thomas-Bruce Smith era. Spiller already has the ninth-best selling jersey among all rookies, according to figures provided by the NFL. A devout Christian, Spiller downplays the hype but he is already trying to lead by example through intense effort during practices.

“Everybody always is trying to say you can become the face of the franchise,” Spiller said. “I don’t look at it like that. I look at the group, the other 52 guys in there. We’re trying to become one face. I know I can’t do it alone. I need the other guys to go to battle with me. We’re trying to win a Super Bowl.”

That will beat a Madden Bowl title any day.

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